Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart
by Dragon Chyld
Summary: LutherSophia cowritten by Blue Persuasion. One’s the owner of a lonely heart and the other harbors thoughts of revenge. Can a gentle touch soften the hardest of souls? Or will innocence die in an attempt to save a demon?
1. Blue Ribbon

**Disclaimer:** We do not own Star Ocean or its Characters.

**Description:** One's the owner of a lonely heart and the other harbors thoughts of revenge. Can a gentle touch soften the hardest of souls? Or will innocence die in an attempt to save a demon?

**Notes:** Here's what happens when two authoresses get together – one on a sugar high and the other on a coffee high. Thanks to everyone on the forum who said they were interested in this… we aim to please (but if not then you have two of us you can blame :D) This is the combined efforts of Dragon Chyld and her editor.

Blue Persuasion: I'm not your editor. Really, just look at my fics. There're errors throughout all of them. Well, besides the ones that were pointed out to me and I fixed. It's not editing – it's proof reading. Proof that you only need half a brain to read XD

Dragon Chyld: -ignores Blue- Well, as stated in the forums, here's a…what's it called?

Blue: Wait, you mean you're going to post this and don't even know what it's called?

Dragon: Yup, why not? You did the same thing with your first Clirage fic didn't you?

Blue: Well, yeah. Guilty as charged. Let's just go with Luphia. Maybe Sother. Um, neither hit me as right. O.o

Dragon: Whatever it is, here's our attempt at a Luther/Sophia story.

Blue: Just don't bail on me like my last 'partner in crime' –grumble- I really need to try and finish that fic.

Dragon: … Good luck with that – my humor attempts suck.

Blue: Yeah well, back to the fic at hand. All the good parts were my idea –laughs while pointing a finger at Dragon-

Dragon: Ha, Ha, funny…

Blue: I thought so. Besides, you always stick to the same disclaimer - you need to mix it up a bit.

Dragon: Ignore her and just read if you're still interested.

Blue: -mumbling under her breath- I'll get you Disclaimer and your little colon too!

* * *

**Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart**

Chapter 1: Blue Ribbon

Sophia sat perfectly still and surveyed the group that had gathered at the tavern in Arias. They had reached their year anniversary and it was sweetly nostalgic to have everyone back together again.

Adray sat in the corner with Clair. He told his endless stories about all the things he had done that were not accomplishable by most human standards – yet he didn't come across as boastful or egotistical. Clair kept him off the topic of her lacking love life with a nice painful jab in the side every time he brought up the subject.

Cliff and Mirage were married. They had gone their separate ways a year ago, but they weren't apart more then two months before Cliff was back on Klaus. A week later they were married and her father was overjoyed.

Albel and Nel were only waiting on more things to be settled in the peace treaties before extending their 'non-existent' – as they claimed – relationship. It was obvious to everyone that there was something between them. They still argued just as much as before but there was something there even if it was only a deepened respect. No one seemed to be able to define it and no one was brave enough to ask. The last thing any of them wanted was Albel AND Nel after them.

Fayt and Maria had gotten into a serious relationship shortly after Luther was defeated. At first, Sophia didn't like Maria and her attitude, but Fayt saw to it that the two would not be bitter enemies. After some time of getting to know the real Maria, Sophia found a friend and someone she hoped would be a good choice for her best friend.

No one even tried to analyze Peppita and Roger. The two had a strange relationship or friendship – no one knew what exactly it was. But they were both happy and that's all that mattered to Sophia.

In fact, it would seem that everyone paired off. Everyone with the exception of herself and Adray. And there wasn't any chance of anything happening there. Adray treated Sophia like a daughter, as he did Nel, Maria, and Peppita. This was a fact she was happy with. Her romantic endeavors didn't involve him or anyone else in the tavern. In fact, she had no romantic endeavors and she was starting to feel the weight of being on her own.

As her vision drifted among 'the crew' she couldn't help but to feel the same deep seated loneliness she had been dealing with for the past year. She didn't cry – she had used up those tears a long time ago. She simply smiled sincerely with a true happiness for her friends. But her happiness came hand in hand with her loneliness. The others were so wrapped up in discussing their relationships – or lack there of if you were two certain Elicoorians - for her to have a part in the discussions. She felt like the spare wheel.

She touched Fayt gently on his shoulder to get his attention. "I'm going for a walk. I guess I'll meet up with you guys tomorrow."

"Okay, Sophia. Is anything wrong?"

"Um, no, not really. I'm just…well…"

Fayt saw the message in her eyes. "Oh, I understand. I hate to see you go, but we'll be here for a whole month. Maybe sometime tomorrow you can come to the workshop with me?"

"Yeah, it would be good for him," Maria said looking at the brunette. "He needs the company. Believe it or not, I think he misses everyone and you mostly since you two grew up together."

Sophia smiled. "That sounds like fun. Well then, I will see you tomorrow."

She left the tavern without bothering the others. She didn't worry whether they noticed her leave or not, it wasn't important. She stopped at the edge of the village and gazed over the landscape she hadn't seen for a year. Not much had changed on Elicoor. Arias was rebuilt but everything else was the same.

The monsters roaming the areas were still being infected by the Vile Wind. Every now and then a story would circulate about a person being infected, but there was no solid proof to this. Sophia closed her eyes briefly. There was somewhere she wanted to go and she had to walk through the Aire Hills to get there. She didn't want the others aware of her motives. She couldn't explain her reasoning to herself, but she didn't feel like fighting it either. So that meant the burden fell on her to handle and the trip though the hills was for her to face alone.

She fought back the urge to turn around and give up as she stepped out of the village. She treaded carefully and avoided any fights she could. Sure she had kept her skills up during the year, but the 'final fight' had left her with no will to kill anything ever again.

She was in luck. The hills were nearly vacant thanks to the efforts of both kingdoms. It would seem that their forces were used to fight off a growing monster population rather than fighting each other. Still, no matter how many beast they slay, the land didn't go long before more took over. It was like an endless battle.

When she reached her destination, she noticed the portal had been blocked off. She couldn't blame them for blocking it off. The people of Elicoor treasured their privacy and didn't want to risk anyone coming and going so freely. She was also sure that children would be curious and parents frantic that their little ones would visit 4D space.

She circled the large boulder which had been rolled over the entrance. The rock covered it completely. She let out a tired sigh of frustration as she leaned on the boulder. It was probably for the best that she didn't go back to 4D space. She had wanted to check up on Blair, but her plans were halted.

The Federation had destroyed the original portal on Styx. The one on Vanguard III was demolished by an earthquake (that luckily missed Whipple). Sophia wasn't surprised to see this one rendered useless. The only one left was the one at the ruins, but she was sure that one had been taken care of also.

She lifted herself from the hard surface and patted it a few times. "Guess that visit is out of the question." No sooner had the words left her when her hand became surrounded by a circle of symbols. She knew the feeling as the same she had felt a year ago on Styx and at the entrance of Firewall. She tried to pull away, but an unseen force kept her in place. A small pain infested her hand to match the headache of using her Connection power. The symbols dance circles around her hand. Her eyes transfixed on them with eerie curiosity.

The symbols left the air around her hand and embedded themselves in the rock. The perfect circle of symbols pulsed with a faint light before dulling.

She stood unflinching for a minute before pulling her hand back. The same pattern that had once surrounded her hand was branded into the surface of the boulder. Even through the solid barrier, she was still able to make contact with the portal to 4D space. Or more appropriately, she made a connection.

She studied the pattern before drawing enough courage to touch the circle. As soon as her fingers came in contact with the circle's center the symbols lit up in a radiant blue. Still embedded in the rock, they rotated. Sophia let out a small gasp when she realized that it was like a door and she had just provided the key for entry.

In the blink of an eye, the rock was gone and replaced with a flat wooden surface. Sophia pulled her hand back and surveyed her new surroundings. She was no longer on Elicoor. She was in Gemity and standing beside the costume shop. The symbols were present in the shops side wall. She was fairly certain she could go back to Elicoor if she wanted to.

But there was no need to rush. She had wanted to visit Blair and now she had her chance.

As she rounded the corner of the building, the first thing Sophia noticed was that the crowd was unbelievably large. Every time she thought back, she was sure there had never been so many people in this one spot before. There were literally too many people for her to get around to even _see_ the transporter to Sphere.

She stood up on her tippy toes and rocked from side to side in a futile effort to see over the crowd. She really hated being so short sometimes. She was just about to try and push her way through the crowd when a hand stopped her.

"There you are. Wow that is a great costume!"

Sophia gave the man who had grabbed her a confused look before looking down at her cloths. Because it was their year anniversary, the whole crew had decided to dress the same way they had a year ago. "I'm sorry…"

"Oh, yeah. They're starting the competition shortly. I'm going to definitely put my money on you. You really look just like her." He held up a small sheet of paper with the number 13 printed on it. "Here, you dropped this. I'm glad I found you in time."

He reached over and tacked the number to her shirt just below her left shoulder. "There, now we're all set. Come on, you don't want to be late."

Before she could protest, she found herself being pulled through the crowd. Trying not to trip, she noticed that the man dragging her was dress fully in black with bold white letters across the back of his shirt stating he was a 'CONEST OFFICAL'. Her eyes darted around. She was able to spot other's wearing similar outfits, each labeled with words like: JUDGE, SECURITY, and STAFF.

When the man finally stopped she was thankful. Her arm was starting to hurt from his grasp. He opened a door and shooed her in. Things were happening so fast, Sophia felt it was better to do as instructed and forget about Blair for the moment. She watched as he closed the door behind her unsure as to what to do next.

When she finally looked around the room she was awestruck with amazement. She was in a large room full of chairs and couches. The room was packed full of people. Some were seated and others standing. The part that rendered her speechless was the fact that all of them were dressed like her or her friends. The costumes of all the people she had fought alone side with ranged from almost exact look-a-likes to obvious fakes.

They were all there. Fayt, Maria, Nel, Albel, Adray, Roger, Peppita, Cliff, Mirage, herself and even Luther. She paused. So many people were dress like 'the crew' but that didn't explain all the Luthers that were in the room. She shivered slightly but was brought abruptly out of her daze when one of her own look-a-likes passed by.

"Humph, not even close."

The voice drew her attention to her left. One of the Luthers stood beside her and was watching the Sophia that had just walked by. His gaze turned and caught her stare. He gave her a quirky smirk before stalking off.

"Attention all contestants," the announcement came from over head. "The contest is about to begin. Can we have all our Peppitas gather at the front exit? Thank you."

She shivered again before finding her mobility. It was like she had entered a surreal universe and she wasn't sure what to make of the whole ordeal. First, she needed an answer – a reason behind the scene she was faced with. Glancing around, she decided to try the closest person.

Sophia shuffled the short distance required and cleared her throat. In front of her was a 'Cliff' and she felt awkward just looking at him. The outfit was dead on, but his face wasn't square enough to be the real Cliff. "Excuse me, sir. What's going on?"

He turned and looked her up and down. Not the real Cliff but so far he was 'in character'. "Not bad babe. That outfit must have cost a fortune. Wow, you might just get first prize for Sophia."

"Um, thanks," she replied bowing slightly as she backed away. She felt herself start to panic.

Sophia decided against further questions and wandered about a bit. The announcement had called all Rogers and she was beginning to get a fairly good idea on what was going on. Her suspicions were confirmed when she spotted a poster on the wall.

**Sphere would like to announce its first annual Eternal Sphere Convention  
**

**Come and reminisce with us. Observe the Milky Way in this once in a life time event.  
**

**Activities for all ages  
**

**Sign up for the Competition of Heroes – dress as your favorite character for a chance to win a trip to the Eternal Sphere itself!  
**

**Disclaimer: Winners will be allowed only one trip limited to two nights and three days in the Milky Way. Log on to Sphere Co. for more information  
**

It would be the day she decided to visit that there would be a convention. At least she understood why all the 'cones' were gathered in one room. Somehow she had been confused for a contestant.

She had been lost in thought as the Cliffs, Mirages, Albels, Nels, Adrays, and Marias were called. When she heard her name she nearly jumped before realizing it was just the next announcement. She glanced around the room as she treaded toward the door. The only ones left were the Fayts, the Luthers, and the winners of the previous rounds.

She sighed amusingly as she left the room. She didn't know whether to be flattered or offended, but either way it was oddly amusing.

Once she was on stage, she did as instructed. She walked, smiled and posed with her staff. She had long forgotten the neglect she had felt earlier when surrounded by her 'real' friends. She was having fun and found herself secretly cringe every time they announced for another Sophia to leave the stage. For some reason she wanted to win. It was almost a matter of pride. Why shouldn't she win? She was, after all, the real Sophia.

It came down to the final three. Sophia stood in the middle and glanced at the other girls. It was like looking in a mirror, with a few exceptions. The girl on her right was half an inch too tall. She stood twirling her hair and chewing gum. The girl on her left was half an inch too short and just smiled while holding her hands behind her back. Both looked like a couple of idiots.

"We will now announce our winner."

The sound of the host caused Sophia's gut to drop. She forgot about the two other girls and grew nervous. She knotted her hands in front of her and looked blankly at the floor. The host glanced at the card the judges had given him before walking behind the trio. He hovered right behind Sophia, causing her heart to race.

He placed his hand on her shoulder and nudged her forward a bit. "You're it girl," he whispered.

She heard the other two girls grunt as she stepped forward. She smiled half unbelieving she had won. But then the whole silliness of the situation hit her and she giggled.

"Great act," the host said as he pinned the blue ribbon on her. "That's what won it for you. None of the others quite had the right personality. Now, just go back the way you came and someone will be there when it's all over to tell you what to do next."

Back in the room, she seated herself in one of the chairs and watched all the Fayts leave. Now the room was nearly empty, consisting only of the nine winners and the Luthers. After a long while of just staring into nothing, Sophia couldn't help but to giggle more over the ironic turn of events.

"Pathetic."

Sophia blinked and turned her attention to the chair right beside her. One of the Luthers looked at her with a cold stare. No, not one of the Luthers; but the same Luther that had talked to her earlier. He was leaning on the chair's arm that separated her seat from his.

"Excuse me?" She drew back a bit, uncomfortable at how close he was. For a contestant there was an unexplainable familiarity about him.

"You. You're pathetic," he replied coolly. His voice sent a chill down her spine. He was certain to win the contest. He looked just like Luther and even sounded like him. "You had an unfair advantage."

"Unfair advantage," she repeated. There was no way he could know. No way. She caught a small peek at his white teeth as he parted his lips barely to speak. His words were postponed by the friendly sound of a female's voice.

"Attention all contestants," the announcement came once again from over head. "The final contest is about to begin. Can we have all our Luthers gather at the front exit? Thank you."

He leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "This contest was meant for real people and not for the authentic data." He drew back and smirked at her confused expression.

"How did you know?" she whispered back.

He stood and dusted himself off. "You were actually created many times." His voice was calm as his stare held her in a frightened captivity. "The urge to design you a certain way lead to many failures and illnesses from your predecessors. To my disappointment, the one that turned out unflawed was the same one chosen to help in my downfall."

He turned abruptly and followed the line of Luthers. At the door he glanced back at her; his blue eyes finding her in a state of horrid confusion. "My dear, a creator can always pick out his creations. Especially the ones he created himself."

Sophia couldn't move, little less blink as she watched him disappear. Either he was completely playing the part, or she was in trouble. Her mind screamed that it was an irrational fear, but her gut warned her otherwise.

* * *

Ending Notes: Alright, there you go – the best idea of how to start a Luther/Sophia fic that the two of us could come up with. Hope everyone picked up on the Ameena reference. There's one explanation why the two looked alike. 

We decided to pair everyone off, but it's likely that a lot won't be seen of the others – unless one of use gets some kind of idea to involve anyone else. We've both realized that the fewer characters involved, the easier it is to write; and since we both have other fics we're working on then it's better that way. That and if you think about it - take Adray out of the picture because he's old enough to be everyone's father and that leaves one too many females. We decided to play on loneliness in this to add a little to the emotional stress Sophia finds herself under.


	2. Rational Fears

Blue: Lookie lookie, it's Thief of Broken Hearts! Hey people! If you like Luther pairs then check out Thief's fic 'Death Becomes Her'. It's great and I don't care for Maria so you know it's good!

Dragon: Um, I thought you were going to do the disclaimer. If not then I already have a good one.

Blue: And to everyone else who reviewed…Thanks bunches. Oh yeah, you know it CAT…if I have a say then there will be a bit of Clirage! –looks around with shifty eyes- I know Alnel is only implied with no certainties but hey right now I'm just really getting into my Clirage fic.

Dragon: Um, Blue…

Blue: Oh, and I just loved that one review… MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH! And yes, Sophia is flexible, she doesn't get enough attention. Well, neither does Luther or Mirage… Oh, speaking about Mirage I really want updates from certain people out there –coughCATcoughallmysensesfailcough-

Dragon: -sigh- We do not own Star Ocean or its Characters.

Blue: O.o you didn't just do the disclaimer… I know you didn't just do that…

Dragon: You really do talk a lot. You were taking too long.

Blue: -sticks tongue out at Dragon- Humph, there's always next time.

Dragon: -hides all the sugar in the house- She'll be up all night…again.

Blue: Whatever, just remember that while reading this there will be serious OOCness because a lot of them are 4D natives just dressed like Fayt n' crew. It's actually fun to write them.

* * *

**Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart**

Chapter 2: Rational Fears

She was numb. Vivid memories from a year ago flashed in her head. Her memories kept a picture perfect image from a time she wished she could forget.

"_I-I don't believe it!" He was kneeling on the floor. He held is hands up to his face. "Data! They're nothing but data!" His eyes wandered over the group. He scanned through them, his cold stare freezing on her. "Why am I-I being deleted? Destroyed! Why?"_

_She watched his face wither in agony. She was unable to move. Was it right to kill? Even if he was going to kill them? Even if he was going to delete everything they knew? Did that make it right?_

_No. That made it self defense. Self preservation. But it was still wrong._

_His cold stare penetrated her. His last moments were spent in a silent dialogue with her and her alone. He asked his one question again with unspoken words._

_Why?_

_A single tear fled her eye. He asked why but the answer was obvious. Survival is the most primitive of instincts whether you're data or not. But she wasn't just data any more. None of them were. They had just won their freedom._

_But at what cost?_

_As she faded away she couldn't help but to wonder if she was any better then him. He fought for what he believed in. He saw it to the end. By her standards he was a mad man. By his standards he was justified. In truth she knew he was scared. He had lost control. Something that had been predictable to him became unknown. Humans fear the unknown. Therefore he was as human as she was - and she as human as he._

_As her world slipped from her, she felt herself fall. Even in the dark she could still see his wild blue eyes. Then instinct kicked in. Her thoughts left him behind and focused on living. She became selfish with only the want to live. What was done was done. It was time to move on._

"Hey there beautiful."

Sophia snapped out of her daze. Looking up she came face to face with 'Fayt'. "Huh?"

"Hey, you got the act down girl. You know," his voice softened as he sat on the arm of the chair, "I've heard that we know each other quite well."

She became uncomfortable when he draped his arm over the back of the chair behind her head. She leaned away as he leaned in. "How about a kiss between 'friends'. Come on, you got the act down. Now let's see just how well _we_ can get to know each other." He leaned toward her; his eyes half closed.

SMACK!

Sophia watched as he fell back in slow motion. She couldn't believe she had just smacked him. Her hand throbbed with the pain of hundreds of tiny needles burying into her flesh. He didn't fall off the chair's arm, to her disappointment. He blinked at her a few times as he massaged his cheek.

"Why you little bitc…"

Before he could finish his rant, another hand came at his other cheek. This time he was successfully hit off the chair. Sophia darted her attention from 'Fayt' to the source of the force that knocked him down. 'Luther' stood by her chair giving 'Fayt' a cold stare.

'Fayt' got to his feet slowly. His eyes darted between 'Luther' and Sophia. "What the hell was all that for?"

'Luther' chuckled. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought we were striving to stay in character. If that is the case then it's only natural I should look for a good opportunity to hit you."

'Fayt' stepped forward and balled his fists. "Oh yeah! Well then if you want it that way I can just kill you now!"

'Luther' shooed him with one hand in a lazy nonessential fashion. "Really now, you have no chance at killing me."

'Fayt' bowed his chest out slightly. "Fayt killed Luther once before and he can do it again!"

"No he didn't!" Sophia responded as she stood. Realizing her words she covered her mouth and took a timid step away from the two.

'Luther' chuckled. "See, she's done her research. You really should have your facts straight before you try to talk big."

"Whoa there," 'Cliff' interrupted. "Let's not fight guys."

Sophia looked around. The little incident had gotten the attention of all of the winners and they were gathered around the two locked in a stare-down.

"That will be quite enough," a man with the word SECURITY printed on his shirt said as he pushed through the crowd. "Now, if we can move on there's a set of instructions you are all to follow."

The group quieted down. 'Luther' stepped back smirking. 'Fayt' shifted unsteadily and darted his glare from 'Luther' to Sophia.

The security man nodded his approval. "Alright, at the door you will all be given an envelope. Inside you will find the key to your room. You will load the shuttle and from here be taken to the hotel. There you will be served dinner and be given instructions for tomorrow."

Sophia watched as everyone walked to the door. She followed wondering what she was doing. Tomorrow she was supposed to meet Fayt at the workshop. She had wanted to see Blair and was surprised she had even gotten to 4D space. Now she was in a line headed to a hotel instead of an inn. Her year reunion had suddenly taken an unexpected twist.

She didn't pay much attention to anything as she boarded the shuttle. She sat by the window and watched as Gemity fade into the distance. She watched her way back home fade. She didn't even know why she had boarded the shuttle. For some reason she didn't want to go home just yet. Things were definitely more interesting here. At least for the time being.

"This is great isn't it?"

Sophia fell back at the intruding voice. 'Maria' looked at her and smiled. She had been looking out of the window over her shoulder.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, that's okay," Sophia replied. "I wasn't really paying attention."

'Maria' gave her a Peppita trademark smile. Sophia almost laughed at the sight. She never imagined she'd ever see Maria smile like that. Well, she wasn't the real Maria but she looked like her. The only things that marked her for a fake were the shade of her blue eyes and her voice.

"What room are you in?"

Sophia pulled the card key from her pocket. "I'm in room seven."

'Maria's' smile widened. "I'm in eight. Looks like we're neighbors."

Sophia couldn't help but to smile back. 'Maria' sat up and hung on the seat in front of her. "Who's got room nine?"

"I do," 'Mirage' replied.

"Alright! My neighbors are known. Humm. Who's got six?"

Everyone exchanged glances but no one answered.

"Aw come on people," 'Maria' antagonized. "Who is Sophia's other neighbor?"

'Maria' sighed at the silence and sat back down. "Guess we'll see when we get there."

For the rest of the trip Sophia chatted with 'Maria'. As awkward as it was, Sophia enjoyed it. She had to keep reminding herself that no matter how much the people she was around looked like people she knew, they weren't. They were strangers.

When they arrived and exited the shuttle Sophia felt out of place. It wasn't the fact that she was once 'data' that got to her; it was the feeling that she didn't belong. For the first time she felt just how far from home she really was.

When they entered the hotel, Sophia had to do all she could to contain her awe. The lobby was magnificent. There was no other word for it. Attached to the lobby was a bar on one side and a restaurant on the other. She only had a few minutes to take in her new surroundings before they were ushered upstairs.

They were taken to the top floor by a private elevator. The doors opened to a large lounge complete with sitting area and many forms of entertainment. Along the left wall were seven doors. The first was labeled Bath, the second was labeled Toilet, and the last five were numbered one through five. On the wall straight across the lounge were two doors labeled six and seven. Continuing from the back of the right wall were the numbers eight through eleven. Back near the elevator on the right side was a large kitchen.

She didn't need to be told that the numbered rooms were the rooms they were staying in. As for the bath, toilet and kitchen, those rooms were shared. This was definitely going to be an interesting stay in 4D space. She looked across at the door with her room number on it. It would seem that she only had one neighbor right beside of her. Who ever was roomed in six would be the only one she would share a wall with.

"If everyone is ready I would like to go over the rules," the usher said standing at the elevator.

When all eyes were on him he nodded. "Rule one: No one is to leave the hotel. Sphere does not need to publicity should one of you decided to cause trouble. Anyone found doing so will be dismissed and the runner up will take their place."

"Rule two: You will refer to each other by your stage names. You can share your real names if you wish but for the remainder of the time here you are to go strictly by the name of your Eternal Sphere counter part."

"Rule three: In your envelopes you will find a pass. Keep this on you at all times so we can quickly identify the winners from anyone else who is dressed up for this event."

"And you final instructions. Tomorrow morning we will send an escort to carry you all back to the convention. Tomorrow at noon there will be a parade and you are all in it. Do not be late. Within the hour someone will be up to escort you to dinner. You will sit at the table according to room number. Anyone found fighting will be dismissed. Try to get along."

He left them before anyone was able to issue any questions. The group dispersed quickly. Some headed to their rooms while others chose to rest in the lounge. Sophia glanced at the few who had chosen to sit and wait. Among the four 'Luther' was one of them. He sat alone on the far couch with a bored look.

The one thing that Sophia found the most unsettling about him was that there was nothing that marked him for a fake. She had caught small things about everyone else that would prove they were not who the appeared to be. Everyone else but him.

She walked to her door aware that he was watching her from the corner of his eye. She was also sure this was the same 'Luther' she had spoken to earlier. He knew something and she didn't want to dwell on it. He was eerie enough without her imagination adding to it.

She entered her room and was happy at the simplicity of it. The room consisted of a bed, a dresser and a small closet. What really got her attention was the door opposite from the door she had entered. She opened the door and was led out onto a balcony.

Her room was one of two that was on the corner so her balcony was only shared with one other person. 'Maria' would have to share her balcony with the others in rooms eight through eleven. She only had to share her's with the occupant in room six. She had watched as some entered their rooms trying to figure out who her neighbor was. No one had entered room six.

It was one of the four sitting in the lounge area. That meant that any one of them could be it. She left her room and glanced over the four. 'Fayt' sat in one chair on the computer. She hoped it wasn't him. She didn't need to run into him if she was out on the balcony. 'Peppita' was talking to 'Nel'. Either of them would be fine. They both seemed nice from what she could tell. That left 'Luther'. She didn't even want to think further on that.

The time passed quickly and the escort came to seat them for dinner. As she approached the dinner table she realized that now she would learn who was in the room beside hers. There were eleven winners and a large table was set out for them. To even the scales five would sit on each side, meaning that the occupant of room six would be on the corner.

Sophia sat beside 'Maria' and watched as everyone took their seats. Sophia watched the females of the group. All of them took a place on the same side as Sophia which meant her neighbor was one of the guys.

Sophia only had a second to ponder on which would be worse. 'Fayt' or 'Luther'? She clearly did not like 4D 'Fayt'. He was not at all anything like the boy she had grown up with. And as for 'Luther', he just sent her into chills. He was too much like Luther himself.

She looked at her silverware. The reflective surface did little to ease her mind which raced in a hundred directions. Was it even possible that 'Luther' was Luther? That in itself was illogical. Still, the events of last year made logic to be a thing of fantasy.

When he had talked to her earlier he had called her 'the authentic data'. At the time she hadn't even argued about it. Somehow she knew that he knew. Things were getting strange and she felt that stranger things were to come.

"This should be interesting."

Her attention left the silverware to look up. 'Luther' gave her a quick smirk.

"What will be interesting?" She matched his low tone.

"To see if data can consume real food."

"A-and what makes you think I'm data?" She tried to sound defiant but her voice came out meek and shallow.

He didn't smile as he stared at her. "We have already been over this. You can not fool me as you have the other simpletons here. I know who you are, though I have to wonder how you got here. All ways in and out of the Eternal Sphere were blocked off."

Blocked off? She had known the portals on her side were blocked or destroyed but she didn't know they were closed on this end also. That might be the reason she came to Gemity by the shop and not where she always had in the past.

She squinted at him and did her best to look as though she were scrutinizing him. "And you know they are blocked off how? Been trying to get in or something?"

He flashed her a quick smile but was interrupted from further discussion when the meal was served. She watched as he turned his whole attention to his food.

She looked at her own meal. It looked harmless enough but his words weighed heavily on her. He didn't know or else he wouldn't have said what he did. A year ago she had passed into 4D space and had eaten there. She remembered stocking up on the enhancers at the shops. Thanks to the alterations Maria had made on them they were able to do anything a normal native from 4D space could do; and that included consuming food.

As she ate she couldn't help but to feel his sideways glances. Maybe seeing her eat would turn his suspicions away from her. Then again she wasn't sure he hadn't just said what he did to taunt her. When she was done she excused herself from the table and left to return to her room.

She passed through the lobby and stopped halfway to the elevator. The doors leading out were made of glass and the night peered in at her. She thought about leaving and going home. She never should have let herself get this caught up in the first place. For a trip that started out fun, the fun had died.

"Not thinking of leaving are you?"

Sophia quickly turned, almost loosing her balance. 'Maria' jogged up to her.

"Oh, no…not really."

"Good, you wouldn't want to be disqualified. Anyway, you were headed back upstairs right?"

Sophia nodded.

'Maria' motioned her into the elevator. The doors closed and the elevator took an upward momentum. "I saw Luther talking to you. You know, he's cute. Was he flirting?"

Sophia blushed uncontrollably. "Not really. I think he likes tormenting me."

"Torment? Yeah, whatever you say. I think he's got an interest in you. I've been watching since he stepped in after you slapped Fayt. He's been watching you. Oh, that reminds me…I meant to ask why you did slap Fayt."

Sophia chuckled lightly. "He wanted to kiss me and he wasn't too nice about it."

"Oh, I guess I would slap him too."

When the doors opened Sophia couldn't help but to feel a little homesick. She told 'Maria' that she was headed to bed and would see her in the morning. Before she had made it to her door a few of the others had found their way upstairs.

She gave then a quick glance and was relieved that 'Luther' wasn't among them. She shook her head and entered her room; locking the door behind her. For a moment she just stood and stared at the bed. She wasn't as tired as she had let on. There was too much on her mind to sleep. Sighing she walked to the balcony and leaned on the rail overlooking the dark city.

She didn't know where she was and even if she had left the hotel she wouldn't know her way back to Gemity. She would have to wait until tomorrow to return.

A breeze brushed against her cheek. It was amazing how much 4D space was like her own dimension. Of course her home was made to mimic theirs. The concepts of science and math and even things like emotions and intuition were the same in both places.

In essence they really weren't that different from one another. Blair seemed to understand that. She treated them like a friend; or more like a mother trying to be a friend. If anyone from 4D space should be looked at as a 'god' then it should be her. She was more like a benevolent creator where Luther was more like a devil.

He had lost control over his creation and couldn't turn his back. He wouldn't let them go on their own. If he couldn't control it then it would be destroyed. Would it have really hurt him to leave them alone? He could have just started over on something else and let them be.

The more she tried to understand him the more lost she felt.

"Your act at dinner didn't fool me."

She didn't move when she heard his voice. She was frozen in place mentally chastising herself for coming out on the balcony in the first place. When he sat beside her at dinner it was evident he was the occupant of room six. She had just found out she shared the balcony with him. She had all but welcomed another encounter.

She heard him move behind her. Fear gripped her with unexplained force.

"What do you want?" she asked finding her voice.

"Now there's a thing I doubt anyone will ask me in sincerity. You don't really care what I want. You only care about my motivations."

She cringed. Biting her lip she suppressed the instinct to run. He couldn't be who he pretended to be. Was it even possible to think that what had happened a year ago was a dream? She saw him die. The memories were too vivid to be fake. He was the fake. No matter how he acted there was no way he was Luther.

"You still don't believe me do you?"

"Huh?"

He chuckled revealing his position beside her. Her eyes refused to look his way as her grip on the rail tightened.

"I assure you that I am your creator. As much as you may wish otherwise I am not dead."

"I don't wish for anyone to die!" she blurted in anger. "You don't know me or anything about me."

"Your actions a year ago would tell another story."

She forced herself to look at him. In his eyes she was abruptly brought to the full truth. Somehow he had escaped death. The man before her was Luther and not an imposter. She swallowed hard. Luther was alive and right in front of her. The worse part about it was - she was alone.

"I didn't kill you," she whispered nearly losing her voice.

"And neither did Fayt but you both aided in the fight. One could consider the act of contributing to be the same as performing the act. You aided them and therefore had a hand in it."

Her breath became heavy under his stare. "If you were killed then how are you here now?"

"Killed? Oh no my dear. You say kill, but there was no death in that battle. I never accused anyone of killing me, simply of causing my downfall."

She couldn't stop her expression from becoming confused. A year ago she had seen him defeated. He had been in pain and on the brink of death. "I don't understand."

He broke his stare and looked up at the sky. "I don't expect you to understand. As advanced as your programming is you will never able to conceive what I know. The thought process of a real mind can never be replaced by something artificial. Such a thing is not possible."

"We beat you! I was there and I saw it…you were in pain." She paused and turned back to the rail. Her eyes stared hopelessly across the city for answers. "How can this be happening? I don't understand how you can be here at all."

"Tell me something," he said scuffing his feet. "Do you always believe what you see? When you saw your world disappear around you did you believe it, or did you overcome that? True intelligence doesn't come from things we know, but how to apply that knowledge in ways to exceed limitations."

She didn't look at him. She couldn't. "There's a lot I don't see that I believe in. That doesn't explain how you are still here."

"Then that is something you will have to figure out now isn't it? Provided that you have time to do so."

Silence fell between them. Her heart beat fast and hard. She could detect the threat he held in his voice. If he held any animosity for what had transpired a year ago, it was evident in his voice and yet he was content with the simple act of tormenting her. What she feared was when that contentment faded. When he was done having his fun with mind games would he try to do more? How much danger was she really in?

"Why did you come back?"

Her hands knotted together on the rail. "I came to see Blair."

A dark laugh rang from his throat. "Oh, and why would you go through all this trouble just to see her?"

Sophia turned to look at him again. His eyes stared at her like ice. She couldn't suppress the chill that ran down her spine. She opened her mouth to respond but her voice abandoned her. She shifted nervously.

He mimicked her stance at the rails; only his hands rested independent of each other. He spoke looking straight across the dark city. "Confusing isn't it? You were programmed to copy human emotions and are curious in your artificial nature."

"I'm as human as you are," she blurted in a soft voice. She continued to look at his profile. His face was lax and showed no hint of any emotion he may be feeling. She had to wonder if it wasn't him who was artificial.

He turned to look her in the eyes. "You? Human? No, see you have it all wrong. You are nothing more then a series of digital code. Thanks to me your programming is advanced. You were made in my image and therefore belong to me."

She took a step back; holding the rail with one hand for support. "I don't belong to anyone. We – we won remember. You have no control over us."

He frowned in such a manner that it almost seemed he was smiling. "If you have a virus but only take medication to relieve the pain you may feel better but the virus remains. If the source isn't dealt with then you will continue to grow sick. That is not a solution. That is only a way to buy time."

He spoke with such calmness it was eerie. She wished she was anywhere but there with him. She should have left the balcony as soon as he had appeared.

"Buy time?" She had to wonder if he was talking about her or himself.

"A years worth of time to be precise."

She felt her knees shake and threaten to drop her. "Who?"

He cocked his head to the side and gave her a smirk to put all smirks to shame. "Who do you think?"

"I don't know," she whispered.

He laughed almost mechanically and tossed his hair from his face with a quick shake of his head. He turned back to his room; leaving her with three words. Three words that left her more confused then ever.

"Neither do I."

He entered his room. A blanket of silence fell on her. In the distant background the hums of a city on the brink of sleep seeped into the silence. She came out of her daze so casually she missed entering her own room and lying down on the bed. She stared at the ceiling; unable to wrap her mind on any one thought at a time.

Then a realization hit her with such force she gasped and sat straight up. In two days they were to enter the Eternal Sphere. In two days he would be in her world. Two days marked the beginning of the end.

She had to do something. Tomorrow she was returning to Gemity for the parade. Sometime during everything she had planned to try and visit Blair. Her plans changed as she thought through her last encounter with him. She needed to return to Elicoor and warn the others.

* * *

(A/N) I should mention that the closing notes are from Dragon. This way no one is confused. Blue and I write on different scales: She's more of a mystery/suspense/action person where I'm more the drama/adventure type. So this should be interesting to see if we can combine all this together and come out with something decent. I'll give her credit; she's come up with a good way to 'reincarnate' Luther. Some of you out there have read her fic 'Inside My Heart' where she brought him back once…well she's done it again (only different this time). Oh, and if you haven't read that fic then you should. That's what got me into the Cliff/Mirage pairing. 

Final note from Blue: Sorry, couldn't help this and it's really not important but I'm going to do this anyway. First I just wanted to say that the line: "True intelligence doesn't come from things we know, but how to apply that knowledge in ways to exceed limitations." was Dragon's. I just thought it was soooo insightful! And the line: "You have no control over us." That was mine – and yes, after coming up with that one all I could do was think about The Labyrinth…which I might have to go watch again…


	3. Returning Home

**Disclaimer:** We do not own Star Ocean or its Characters.

**Notes: **We know it's been a while. I've been so busy lately that Blue wrote nearly the whole chapter and I just went through and added/altered a little here and there.

Blue: I should also warn you that this is the first chapter where we've deviated from Sophia's point of view. That's mainly my fault – I lacked ideas to have her move smoothly from one place to another and had ideas for what the others might be doing and thinking.

Dragon: At least an update's an update. Either way I liked it.

* * *

**Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart**

Chapter 3: Returning Home

"FAYT! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Sophia jerked straight up in the bed and leapt nearly the entire floor's distance before sleep eased enough for her to pause. Her time in slumber had been spent fighting monsters she had helped dispose of a year ago. The sudden 'reincarnation' of Luther had sent her into a whirlwind and her sleeping mind had embraced it.

She stepped hesitantly to the door and pulled it open cautiously. A light chuckle involuntarily passed her lips at the sight she beheld. 'Maria'(clad in nothing but a large bath towel) was chasing 'Fayt' around the sitting room. She was holding a vase over her head and swinging it uncontrollably at the blue haired boy who somehow managed to avoid contact.

As Sophia stepped into the room 'Fayt' dove behind a couch. For a few seconds the two tugged back and forth – one seeking escape and the other seeking a clear shot. 'Fayt' kept the couch between them in a desperate hope it would help him hold off the pending attack.

"Calm down will ya!" Fayt huffed between breaths.

"Calm down? How can you even talk to me after what you did you perv!"

"How was I supposed to know you were in there?"

'Maria' sighed deeply and growled. "The door was locked you moron."

"What's going on," a sleepy 'Peppita' asked emerging from her room.

"Fayt busted the lock on the bathroom door!"

All eyes immediately darted to 'Fayt' who gave everyone a nervous smile before trotting from corner to corner of the couch away from 'Maria'.

"Heh, that's one way to do it," 'Albel' grunted leaning on the wall.

'Maria' cut 'Albel' off by waving the vase in his direction. Unlike the real Albel, this 'Albel' cringed and backed away from the distraught girl.

'Maria' turned back to her prey. "Ever heard of knocking?"

"You were taking so long," 'Fayt' whined in response.

"I just got in there!"

Sophia hid her smile under her hand; doing her best to look worried. The scene in front of her was so comical. Her Fayt was nothing like the 4D Fayt. He would never have barged in like that. Albel never would have cringed at Maria's threat and Maria never – never ever would have chosen a vase for a weapon.

A slight movement caught her gaze and Sophia turned her head. Her smile quickly vanished as her eyes confronted the cold blue orbs of her neighbor. She blinked and turned her head sharply to avoid him just in time to see security enter the room.

She only heard half of what the man said as she tried desperately to keep her eyes from wandering back in _his_ direction. Something in her core nagged on every thread of her being. It was going to be a long day and precaution had to be her way of life for a time.

Luckily she had heard enough to know they were headed back to Gemity for breakfast. There was going to be a parade they were not to miss and a few other activities. She didn't concentrate too hard on the details. She hoped to be back on Elicoor before the parade started.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Fayt stood completely still; his head protruding from the workshop door as he stared down the street and toward the inn. If there was one thing he knew it was that Sophia was rarely late. A few minutes, ten max, would be acceptable. Half an hour was too much.

A chill ran down his spine and forced his legs into action. With each step he hoped to find her rushing down the street and apologizing profusely. When he reached the inn with no interruptions, worry set in.

He was annoyed too. He had wanted to check out the new workshop in Arias. He was disappointed to have to halt his plans. He shook his head as he entered the inn. It was selfish to think like that. He hadn't seen Sophia in almost six months. What he really wanted was to discover the new workshop with her and relive that part of their childhood of finding and sharing new things together. All that meant something to him, but it wouldn't be any good if something was wrong with Sophia.

"_She's probably just sick," _he thought as he approached the front desk. "Excuse me, which room is Sophia Esteed in?"

The clerk gave him a smile as she shuffled through the registry. "I'm sorry, but no one with that name has checked in."

"Huh? Are you sure?"

The clerk rechecked the list and turned it so Fayt could read. Everyone's name was on the list…everyone with the exception of Sophia. He scratched his head and mumbled a quick 'thank you' to the clerk before leaving the inn. There was only one inn in Arias which left him wondering where she had been all night and a very unsettled feeling in his gut.

He walked slowly in thought as he searched for Maria. Something didn't seem right and he wanted another opinion. He was more emotionally attached than she was and right now he needed a good dose of Maria's logic.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Sophia pushed her way through the crowd the best she could; mumbling apologies the whole way. Upon arriving back at Gemity, the group had been given a couple of hours to eat and get ready for the parade. Managing to keep her breath even, she glanced continuously over her shoulder to be sure she wasn't followed. She found nothing to indicate such, but a nagging feeling pulled her head to turn often.

She frowned as she reached the shop. As much as she wanted to hurry back to Elicoor, she felt silly for being so paranoid. Sure running into Luther would be enough to freak anyone in her position. Still, she didn't like feeling like a cornered animal.

She pushed her way through the thin line of traffic which blocked the shop. As she pushed through, she turned and scanned the crowd one last time. Her height, or lack of, made it nearly impossible to see much and she gave up unsatisfied.

A long breath escaped her lungs as she calmed herself. Her height might have made it hard for her to see but she was sure it would also make it hard for her to be seen. She shook her head and giggled shortly before turning on the balls of her feet and toward her destination.

"Took you long enough."

Her muscles locked on her in mid turn as her eyes fell on the owner of the voice. Leaning against the shop's wall, directly on the symbol's inscription was Luther. Losing her balance, her knees hit the ground only inches from him.

Her head shot up immediately to meet his gaze. His eyes were squinted slightly and his lips pressed into a thin line. Golden locks hung over blue irises – adding another skipped beat to her heart's normal pattern. Lines formed in his face slightly to show his disapproval.

"Perhaps I should have defined the parameters of your gravitational center a bit more precisely. Your grace is very unbecoming."

She opened her mouth to respond but her throat had closed tight. Breathing became difficult as she struggled to say something – anything. Her sudden case of muteness left her only with the option of watching as he lowered himself to squat in front of her. He rested his arms on his knees, allowing his hands to dangle freely between his legs.

"How is it you managed to make it so far without an upgrade?" He spoke to himself as his eyes inspected her closely. "You and your kind should have never been able to reach such heights of enlightenment without some help. It is possible that a traitor among Sphere took pity on things undeserving."

She frowned, finding her voice in a short puff of anger. "I'm not a _thing_! I'm a person. The only difference between me and you is where we were born."

"Fool… No, I'm the fool. I was wrong to allow my father to influence me so. The teachings of a man, long overdue for death, could not have foreseen the tragedy of allowing programs to develop freely."

She huffed and sat back on her legs to distance herself from him. His face played a neutral expression. He neither smiled nor frowned and for once he didn't seem so menacing. "How… how are you here?" Her words came out quiet but strong enough to show her frustration.

He chuckled. Once again his chuckle wasn't the dark and frightening sound she had expected; but it was laced with pure amusement. "Did you really think I would put myself completely into the Eternal Sphere and jeopardize my life? What you and your little friends defeated was nothing more than a projected image of my conscious. Still, a bitter defeat was enough to force me…" He shook his head and refused to continue. He followed by giving her a smile that chilled her.

Her heart beat hard against her ribs as she crossed her arms over her chest. She was frightened but every encounter with the man made it a little easier to handle. "You entered the contest just to get into the Eternal Sphere didn't you?" She pressed her lips together hard and did her best to reframe from blinking as she stared at him.

"Your gravitational center might need calibration but it seems you are still able to process information accurately. Until seeing you here, I assumed it was the only way to get back in." He rose and ran his fingers over the symbols on the shop's outer wall. "Now, I see there's another way." Keeping his fingers in place he glared at her. "Well, aren't you ready to go back? You want to warn the others, am I correct?"

She followed suit and stood. Her hands curled into fists at her side. "When I go back I'm going alone. You are not invited."

His expression softened as he closed the distance between them. She tilted her head up to keep eye contact. She refused to back away. Strength was what she needed and it took everything she had not to turn and run. She had been so focused on his face that she didn't see him move until he had grabbed her wrist. He pulled the appendage up and brought her hand to his face.

He gently rubbed a finger over her whitened knuckles. "Do you fear me so much that you feel the need to hold so tightly? Though you only feel what is simulated, I know your fingers must be in pain from the pressure."

She blinked at him. He shifted to hold her small fist in both of his larger hands. One hand lower on her arm and the other around her hand. Slowly he eased his thumb into her closed hand and against her palm. She was frozen as he opened her fist up. His fingers prying at hers until the neat ball she had created was flat. She relaxed her hand slightly; more curious than scared.

"There, that's better don't you think?"

She watched his lips move as his words floated on the air between them. He was too calm and his words almost too gentle. It only set to frighten her more when he wasn't being arrogant or rude.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

"My subordinates say she left yesterday. The night guard reported that no one entered last night."

Fayt couldn't help but to allow his expression to show his worry. "Thanks Clair. I should go and try to find her."

Maria looped her arm through his. "I'm coming too. I don't know her like you but it doesn't seem like her to be gone so long."

Fayt smiled down at her briefly. "We should tell the others. I just hope she's okay."

A scuffing sound drew everyone's attention. Albel stood and glanced at the three with a knowing smirk plastered on his face. "You act surprised that the girl would run off."

Fayt cocked his head to the side and frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Albel rested his clawed fingers on the hilt of his katana and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "You've known her for so long and yet you don't know her at all."

Fayt felt his face flush. "Oh? And you know her better I assume?"

"Perhaps," Albel replied in his usual cocky tone.

"Please, enlighten us with your wisdom." Maria spoke sarcastically; defending Fayt.

Albel's smirk widened. "Heh, sometimes a quiet observer can learn a lot. You don't think I spent all that time we traveled together just sitting there doing nothing. I know more about all of you than you realize."

Fayt couldn't help but to shiver slightly. "Look, Albel, I don't feel like arguing. If you know where she is then just tell us."

Albel kept his lips sealed for a few moments before answering. "I would guess the fool to be in that 4D space. She would no doubt be there to visit the know-it-all wench."

Fayt chewed on the words that built in his throat before responding with a simple realization. "Blair?" Fayt paused in thought. It would be like Sophia to want to check on Blair.

"But all the entrances to that place have been sealed off. There's no way she could have gone there," Clair argued.

"Hmm. Perhaps," Albel replied as he turned his back to the small group. "But the fresh runes engraved on the boulder that seals the path might tell a different story."

Fayt, Maria and Clair watched the swordsman walk away. "Maria," Fayt said; his eyes still following Albel. "We need to get the others and check out these 'runes'."

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

In her head, images swirled together; unable to process coherent thoughts. She stood dazed as he opened her palm to his face and examined the lines in her flesh. Like a palm reader, he grunted almost inaudibly a few times.

"It still amazes me that despite the limitations we placed on you, you are still capable of baring such a complicated encryption. Somehow the abilities you were given are more unique to you than you realize. I'm sure that is why you were chosen for this burden. The other two are no different. Surly there is a traitor among Sphere. There is no other explanation as to how the three of you could be born into the same group determined to defy me."

"W-what do you mean?" she stammered out.

He grimaced at her; ignoring her hand momentarily. "Put simply, one of the scientist who did this to you could not have gone this far had he or she not known about us. It would seem one of the people you trusted was born here and not in your Eternal Sphere. That is something I must look into once I arrive there."

She tugged on her hand, trying to free herself. At her actions, his fingers tightened.

"Let go."

His frowned smoothed out. "Oh, but I want a demonstration. Your programming is far too advanced for me not to wish to see it perform."

Her breath caught in her throat as he twisted; taking her hand with him. She knew she wasn't strong, but the force her held on with was beyond allowing even the simplest of movement on her part. She was helpless to fight back as he pressed her fingers to the circle's center.

Light erupted under her fingers as the symbols came to life and danced. She heard him chuckle as she closed her eyes tight.

"_This is not happening… it's not. Luther's not holding me and he's not going back with me. It can't be my fault. I can't let him do this."_

Behind her closed lids she saw the light flash and fade to normal. She also noted that the ground under her feet had softened. Opening her eyes, she wasn't surprised to see the Aire Hills before her.

"That was effective," Luther hissed. "Now, I have only to deal with you before I can move forward."

She snapped her head to him and pulled on her arm again. He wouldn't release her. Desperate to loosen his hold, she swung at him with her other fist. He blocked her swing and in one swift motion twisted her around until her back was securely braced against his chest.

"Tut, tut. You shouldn't work yourself up so." He embraced her so to pin her arms to her sides.

She struggled against him; unable to break his hold. She wanted to scream for help. She wanted to get away but he wouldn't let her. She grunted and tried to throw her head back, hoping to connect with his face; but she had misjudged her position and landed against his shoulder.

She opened her mouth to scream when she heard her name.

"Sophia!" Fayt shouted, jogging toward her. He stopped a few feet from them and stared; unable to believe his eyes. Behind him Sophia could see most of the group.

"Fayt!" She barely had a chance to reply before she felt Luther jerk her back.

"This is an inconvenience." Luther held a monotone just loud enough for everyone to hear. "We simply can't allow you to interfere," he spoke softly as he lowered his mouth closer to Sophia's face. "Isn't that right my sweet?"

She gasped and struggled more fiercely. She had the distinct feeling that all his previous conversations with her were nothing more than a mental assault. He was no doubt trying to pull the same stunt on the others by giving her an endearing name.

They had all seen him fight physically. He had seemed deranged and convulsive then. The Luther she had just recently encountered was more calm and collective. He fought with words rather than actions…so far.

"Luther!" Maria drew her gun as she shouted. "Let her go!"

Luther laughed. "I think not. For now I think I'll just hold on to her a bit longer." He tightened his embrace, causing her to let out a weak squeal of protest.

"It's in your best interest to let her go," Nel said stepping to Maria's side. "Unless you plan to fight all of us while holding on to her."

He grunted. "I think I'll take a rain check on that. As fun as it would be to delete you now, I'm going to have to wait a while. We'll meet again."

Before anyone could protest further, a pair of angelic wings materialized from his back. With supernatural dexterity he leapt unto the air and hovered over them. "One last image of your god for you to remember until I return."

Maria steadied her aim, careful not to hit Sophia still clutched in the man's grip. He levitated higher, blinding her with the sun before darting across the sky and out of view.

Everyone stood breathless until Fayt spoke up. "We have to find him before he hurts her," his voice shook uncontrollably.

* * *

Blue: I cheated on this one. I didn't have to bring him back to life since he never really died. I hope everyone caught what I was going for there. In short, the final battle was never with the real Luther. But, he cut's himself off from telling her too much. In case you aren't wondering let me plant this little bug: If he never died then how come he had to enter a contest to return to the Eternal Sphere? If any readers know me then they know there's more too it than revealed. 

Also let me point out that we're really playing around with Luther's character. He didn't have a very large role in the game and it has been a year.

One last thing I thought about I want to point out. Anyone ever wonder how it is Luther supposedly created the Eternal Sphere? I mean, he's not an old man and Earth's gone through generations of growth. Sometime during this fic I plan on giving my own interpretation on that.


	4. Winds of Rage

**Disclaimer:** We do not own Star Ocean or its Characters.

**Notes:** Blue has done it again!

Blue Persuasion: I just got done reading the second chapter of keeki's November Dreaming and when I went to review I got this lovely message telling me I was denied.

Dragon: Yup! I beat you too it!

Blue: So, instead of sitting back and waiting for enough time to elapse so I could review, I got hit with the muse to write more. I saw Dragon's review about the two interacting and got the urge to write some myself.

Dragon: Incase anyone's confused, we are currently sharing a computer and multiple reviews are not allowed. Blue will have to wait a few days to review anything I have.

Blue: And, this is the first time we actually sat together to write instead of just plopping down in front of the computer, reading what the other wrote and continuing the fic from there.

Dragon: Alright, I think we've explained enough. Now, let the nice people read the next chapter.

Blue: It's a rather short chapter, but we hope you like.

Warning, this chapter is a little more violent then the others - but not too bad. Also, things are busy right now so we didn't check this chapter all too greatly for errors.

* * *

**Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart**

Chapter 4: Winds of Rage

Night was approaching fast and it was all Fayt could do not to hyperventilate. Maria did her best to comfort him. Still, he trembled nearly nonstop. Sophia was more than just his best friend. She was like a sister to him. She was his family and he couldn't bare the thought of losing another member of his family. Not so soon after losing his father.

With in a few hours the sun would extinguish – leaving little light to search by. Not to mention the need for sleep would set in and cause them to halt the search before fatigue caused a mishap in battle.

Monsters still roamed the land. As strong as they had all gotten, there were limits to endurance.

"Alright, we have to think this through before just blindly running out to find them. It'll do us no good to just pick a direction at random and run ourselves ragged."

Mirage nodded at Maria. "We know he took off to the South West. The only thing there is the Traum Mountains."

"And the castle," Albel continued.

"It's unlikely he would go all the way to Airyglyph. He didn't stay to fight us so it's a good bet he's somewhere away from people."

"Cliff's right. We have supplies now. Who's ready for a nature hike?" Adray did his best to lighten the mood. He didn't show it but they all knew he was just as worried as the rest of them.

"And what about us?" Roger whined.

"Ya big baby," Peppita responded lightly slapping the boy on his arm. "We stay here and try to get information. If we find anything we report it to Fayt."

"But it's like they don't think we can fight too! I mean, all we do is walk around and talk to people. I'm a man! I can fight and they know it."

Peppita touched her finger to Roger's nose. "Look, I'm going to Airyglyph to talk to the king. If you really want to go with them then I suppose I'll have to walk all that way by myself… in the dark… no telling how many monsters I'll have to fight… I'll be all alone… it's going to get dark soon…"

"Alright already! I'll go with Peppita and keep her safe."

Peppita smiled and planted a small peck on his cheek. "Thanks. Now let's get going."

At Peppita's command the group headed for the western gate of Kirlsa. From there Roger and Peppita would head for the castle while the others checked out the Mountains. Fayt couldn't help but to utter a repeated prayer in his head that they found Sophia before it was too late.

He didn't know it, but several of the others were saying their own prayers for the girl as well.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Sophia had kept her eyes closed tight the entire flight. Even after a smooth landing, her eyes refused to open. She felt like a child – if she couldn't see the danger then it couldn't see her. She didn't have to see it; she felt it. Luther had kept a firm grip on her the whole time.

The entire flight was spent in silence. After the landing, Luther continued to keep quiet as he steered her ahead; his hands gripping her shoulders so tight that his fingers dug into her skin. She bit her lip and refused to issue any sound of pain. She had to stay strong and keep her mind steady if she wanted to get out of this.

"_It's only a matter of time. If he doesn't just kill me to start with then there's a chance I'll make it out."_

When the sun behind her closed lids diminished, she gave in to curiosity and slowly opened her slightly aching lids. For a few seconds her world remained black until particles of light danced and faded from her sight. She was only slightly relieved when she recognized where she was.

She was in a cave. It was a cave Fayt had brought them to a while back for training. They had used the mountains in Airyglyph as a training ground and this particular cave was one they had used to escape a sudden downpour.

She didn't like this cave. There was only one way in and it was littered with dragon bones. It was a graveyard. A place for the dead.

Luther roughly deposited her on the ground; causing her to fall on her knees. Expecting an execution, she twisted sharply. She was sure she would find him hovering over her. Instead, he was inspecting the cave's wall just to the right of the entrance.

She sat still and dumbfounded for a few seconds before she realized she had a chance to run. Keeping her balance, she rose quickly. Her legs bent and readied themselves to propel her forward. She was about to dart past Luther when a thin layer of light stretched across the entrance. She blinked as the light took on the hues and texture of the rest of the cave's walls.

Her hands, which had been in position to run, flopped to her sides. The entrance was gone.

"H-how?" She mumbled just over a whisper. She didn't move as she inspected the new wall.

Luther turned and gave her a discomforting smirk. "As much as you wish for your world to be another dimension, it's still just a program. Tell me, have you ever played any form of a 'video game'?"

Sophia rubbed her tongue along the back of her teeth. "Some."

Luther shifted his weight. "And have you ever used cheat codes or any other device that would give you an advantage?"

Sophia watched him as he moved along the wall. "Yeah, but…"

"This is no different." Luther stopped his long strides and locked his gaze on her. "Your world is a program. As the creator of any program I have placed application programs which only I or someone authorized can access. These programs allow me certain advantages."

Sophia continued to watch the man as he kicked away a small pile of bones and touched the wall opposite the closed entrance. At his command a console materialized. His fingers swept deftly across the keys and the monitor flashed in response. She took a few hesitant steps toward him, trying to see what he was doing.

She froze when he resonated a dark chuckle. The chuckle became a hysterical laugh. He pulled his fingers from the console and it disappeared immediately. With a force that caused her to flinch, he rammed his fist hard into the stone wall; his laugh dieing down but not ceasing.

He fell slowly to his knees and held his fist in his hand. Blood painted his knuckles and seeped through the fingers of his uninjured hand. Almost instinctively Sophia gasped. She approached him cautiously and knelt down beside him.

She had done so according to her nature. Once she was in position beside him she was overcome with a chill. Hugging her chest, she kept her balance on her feet; ready to stand and move if needed. As for her original intent, she had some this far and should at least see it through.

"Do… do you want me to heal that?"

His head snapped in her direction. He growled at her; baring his teeth like a wild animal. Before she could react, he threw his arm out and hit her across her shoulders. She fell back and immediately started to scoot away from him.

"You?" His voice started in a normal volume but quickly escalated. "You are not to touch me!"

He remained unmoved as he watched her sink further away from him.

"S-sorry."

"Sorry! Oh, so you think a sorry is going to make it all better?" he kept his tone harsh and unyielding. "Life is built on ironies. You are an abomination. A freak. I will not allow myself to be contaminated as she was."

Sophia stopped moving when the cold stone of the wall came in contact with her back.

Luther planted both hands on the floor. His eyes stared coldly at her as he crawled toward her. "She said she was leaving Sphere to be with her family. Many employees have done so. There was no reason to be suspicious of her. No reason to think she would so blatantly backstab us." He spoke through clenched teeth.

She felt her breath hitch in her throat. With every advancement he made her heart thumped in her ears. He was getting closer and she knew he was going to hurt her. He was so angry.

He stopped when both of his hands landed on the outsides of her feet. He glared at her, his bangs doing little to hide his blue eyes. "Is she still alive? Tell me girl! Does she live?"

Sophia let out a short lived sigh of alarm as he leaned forward. "W-who?"

"Where is she, girl?" He continued to hound her, expecting answers to questions that confused her. "If she's alive… Tell me where I can find her now! Where is Ryoko Leingod?"

"Aunt Ryoko? Why? What do you want with her?"

"Aunt!" he screamed in her face. "She's not your aunt. I know all the personal data on you and your little friends. That woman has no family ties to you. She's not even supposed to be here." He advanced; his legs straddling hers as his hands landed on the wall just over her head. He leaned his head toward her close enough for her to feel his breath on her face as he spoke.

She pressed her head as far back as the stone would allow. Her fingers dug into the dirt on the floor beneath her. Taking a deep breath in; she held it. "What do you mean?"

"Ryoko Logan was one of Sphere's top genomorphist. Without her knowledge our AI program would have been incompatible with the inhabitants of the Eternal Sphere. She was a model employee. Always putting in countless hours into research. She worked almost nonstop. Now I know why. Yes, everything makes sense to me now."

Sophia couldn't break the stare he held her in. He talked to her as if he were talking to the wall or to himself. She wouldn't interrupt him. If she did, she knew he would use some form of violence on her. It was evident he had just found out something that sparked a rage in him.

"She spent a lot of hours in field research. She would spend at least half the time she worked in the Eternal Sphere to do her work first hand. It must have been during that time she idiotically fell in love with him. He was data! You hear me!" The volume of his voice rose. Her ears ached as he screamed in her face. "Robert Leingod was nothing more than you are – a sting of binary code!"

Her determination to remain silent failed her. "Are you saying that Aunt Ryoko is from 4D space?"

He sat back, his weight on the heels of his feet. She was so mesmerized by the wild look in his eyes that she didn't see his hand before it made contact with her cheek. His slap dominated her balance and she fell on her side; her legs still trapped under him.

"I told you, she's not your aunt! She used her knowledge to alter her transplants. She might have been born in Arkives but she's no longer human. She gave up her job and her life to become one of you."

Sophia glanced sideways at him. Her hand tenderly held her bruised cheek as tears swelled involuntarily in her eyes. Her cheek felt like it was on fire and even her gentle touch caused pain.

He reached out and grabbed her arm. Jerking forcefully, he sat her back up. "She allowed herself to be contaminated. She married and gave birth to an abomination. Then she took that abomination and altered him to lead the war to my demise. But it didn't work. Oh no, for you see you didn't kill me. I'm very much alive."

Sophia bit her lip. She was scared. She had been apprehensive of him from the start. He might have been calm and collective, but she was seeing a side of him that instilled fear down to her core. He was more like the Luther she had fought against. He had snapped. His temper had a hold of him and he was acting on anger.

A grunt of pain issued from her as he grabbed her shoulders. "I will not be contaminated by you!" He proceeded to shake her violently. Her head collided with the stone wall. After the second impact, her head felt as if it would explode. After the third she was knocked unconscious.

* * *

(A/N) Here's some info to help understand why Ryoko was chosen to be a 4D native. We knew we were going to have one of the scientist involved be a traitor, but we didn't know which one until we searched the dictionary. 

Ryoko Leingod 

Born on Earth's satellite Luna, Ryoko is the beloved wife of Dr. Robert Leingod and Fayt's mother. Robert was not the only member of the Leingod household who was an active researcher, Ryoko also published many papers as a student, and showed great promise as a genomorphist.

However, after marrying Dr. Leingod, Ryoko disappeared from academia and devoted herself to supporting her husband's research. It is said that the majority of Dr. Leingod's research would not have been completed as quickly without her. Many members of academia regret the loss of this beautiful muse.

(As for her background information – we have that covered. While she was working in the Eternal Sphere, she created birth records and such to cover her true identity. She still attended the academy and how that's possible will be answered when we answer the question on how the Eternal Sphere evolved while Luther was still alive. Think about that again…time contradicts itself in the game. Luther's young and the Eternal Sphere made many many generations of advancements in his single life time…)

Genomorphist (Other) 

Researchers in the field of genomorphy. The division between person of religion, who guide the hearts of their flock in the name of gods, and persons of science, who attempt to research absolute truth, was born of human language and continues even now that we have taken to living in outer space.

Genomorphy (Scientific Term) 

A prohibited field of science in which a target organism is freely created through the research and direct manipulation of the genetic information of living organisms. This field, which intrudes upon the domain of the gods, has been declared heresy by certain types of religious people and philosophers, and researchers have even been persecuted in the past. Still, this is one field that humanity cannot avoid on the path to the summit of evolution--or so some scientists believe.

Fayt's father Dr. Leingod is a famous genomorphist who is well known throughout the galaxy, and who specializes in the study of Genomorphy from the standpoint of symbological science.


	5. New Challenges

**Disclaimer:** We do not own Star Ocean or its Characters.

**Notes:** Quick explanation so to help clear confusion. The first bit of this may seem confusing, but just keep with it and it'll be explained. And we know an update is long overdue on this one.

Blue: Part of that is my fault. I haven't been much in a writing mood lately.

Dragon: Between you and me, neither one of us have done much for writing lately.

Blue: Well, it happens to all of us I guess. Anyway, at least we got this done.

Dragon: Yeah, at least. :)

* * *

**Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart**

Chapter 5: New Challenges

Sophia stood in front of the elegant double doors. Along the dark wood were engravings made of pure gold and silver. The knobs that rested side by side were nothing more than decoration. They too were elaborate and beautiful.

She blinked a few times and inspected the doors in wonder. The place she found herself in wasn't a mystery. The mystery was why she was there – or better yet, how she was there.

She turned to put her back to the door. As anticipated a full mirror hung from the wall. Her image reflected back her suspicions – she was dressed in a gown made for a princess. White lace wrapped around white satin. Ribbons of pink drew up into neat bows at her neck line and the trail of her gown. Upon her head was a tiara of gold with pink and purple gems. She was the true picture of a princess.

Taking a deep breath, she spun back to the doors and pushed through them. What she had expected to see was a grand ball room. What she saw was her bed room in the castle. She nearly stumbled in the door, not willing to believe any of it.

But she had no reason not to believe anything. She was inside her dream castle. It was a place she kept tucked away in her dream world. None of it should be real and it was a place she only went to in imagination. It was a place she hadn't been to in nearly three years. Three years ago her night and day dreams of this place ended for more realistic dreams.

On her bed sat a younger version of herself. The girl was no more than five in age. She sat and talked about her life as a princess and all the things she wanted to do when she grew up. Beside her was a knight clad in armor. He sat in the chair by the bed and was writing with a quill on a single sheet of paper perched on his lap.

"When I grow up I think I wanna be a doctor like mommy." The young girl's face beamed with pride.

The knight simply grunted under his helmet. "Why's that?"

"I can help people. I can make the hurt go away."

Sophia took a few steps toward the knight and looked at him from the side. He was dressed in armor straight from a fairy tale. Metal decorated him from head to toe. He was just like she remembered. The castle she was in was a place that had started in her dreams at night. Gradually she would daydream of it as well. As for the knight, he would appear on occasion in her day dreams; but he never failed to appear in the dreams she had when she slept.

What she was witnessing was one of the first dreams that gave birth to her castle. She knew she must be dreaming, but this was the first time she had dreamt like this. She felt like an outsider – like she didn't belong. This dream belonged to the five year old on the bed; not her.

She inched closer to the knight and peered down at the paper in his lap. She had heard somewhere that it was not possible to read in your sleep. It was said that if someone tried to focus on the words, the letters would be jumbled. One look on the paper in the knight's lap dismissed these ideas.

Her name was printed in neat letters across the letterhead. Just below her name was a series of ones and zeros. Lost in her curiosity, she moved slightly closer and peered at the rest of the paper. The knight had so far wrote down everything the girl had told him. All of it was recorded in the neatest penmanship she had ever seen.

"Huh? Excuse me miss but what are you doing here?"

Sophia jerked her head at the sound of the girl's voice. For a moment she had thought she was no more than a ghost in the room, but that proved untrue.

"I…I'm sorry."

The young girl shook her head and sighed. "Well, it's impolite to barge into another's room. And you scared away my friend."

Sophia's attention left the girl and went back to the vacant chair the knight had once occupied. She had always called the knight her friend. He never left her side in her night dreams. But this time was different. He was no longer in the chair.

For a second, Sophia felt lost. The knight was never far and for reasons she couldn't comprehend she felt lost without his presence.

The sounds of trumpets drew her attention back to the room. The bed room that once was – was no longer. She stood in the court yard. Rose bushes of red and white lined the path she stood on. Behind her she heard the fountain. Over her the twilight beamed its magnificence.

"Well, this is interesting."

She turned slowly, recognizing the voice at once. As she had suspected, Luther was perched on the edge of the fountain. As water cascaded behind him, he shook his head slightly. His lips pressed together in such a fashion is was like he was smiling without turning the corners of his mouth up.

"What's interesting?" she shot back, almost too abruptly. He didn't belong in her dream.

"My last recorded entry confirms that you have not been here in three of your years."

She gave him a confused look. Biting her lip softly, she shook her head.

He chuckled slightly. If she didn't know any better she would think he was amused. "Tell me exactly where we are." He lifted both hands to indicate his surroundings.

She sighed. "A dream."

"A dream, huh? Are you to tell me that all this is nothing more than a mere fantasy? Nothing here truly exists?"

Her confusion quickly took a turn for suspicion. "What are you getting at?"

He chuckled again. "Ah, I see you are quick to process information. Perhaps words will prove inaccurate tools in which to deceive you."

Sophia tilted her head slightly and closed one eye. He was playing games with her again; this she knew. "Where are we exactly?"

He leaned forward and placed the tip of his finger on the bridge of his nose. "That is precisely what Alice asked the white rabbit; is it not?"

"Humph!" She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "Why can't you give me a straight answer?"

He took a step closer to her; leaving the fountain. "You know, the first one was named Alice. She had white hair and her eyes were a softer green. She was one of the Featherfolk and was born with a damaged wing. She didn't last long after her thirteenth birthday when she was dared to fly off a seven story building."

"First what?"

"The second was a born Felinefolk. Stanlic was a red head, but her eyes were darker green. Unfortunately for her, she suffered from an illness common among her people at that time and perished."

Sophia bit her lip. She knew he would not answer her question until he was ready to. She also noticed that with each story he advanced slightly closer to her.

"The third attempt was a Foxtail. As you see, I had a fetish for these races that combined animals in the biological makeup. But that phase ended when Tiara proved also defective and was erased."

Sophia took a deep breath. He spoke of these _girls_ as if they were nothing more than objects. Each death marks nothing more than a milestone to him.

"So, I tried again. Only this time I made two of you. Both on planets so far apart that your lives should never intertwine. Ameena, yes – that was her name. She was your twin, only given to different parents on this very planet. I noticed the flaw too late to stop its progress. From birth, you both were defective. Both of you suffered from weakened lungs and were prone to life threatening illness. The only thing that saved your life was the alterations made to you."

Ameena. She knew that name. One night, when she was up watching the fire she was joined by Cliff. During the night they talked. She learned of everything Fayt had done during his time on Vanguard and on Elicoor. She had heard the heartbreaking tale of Dion and Ameena. A tear escaped her eye as she recalled the tragic ending for the lovers both separated and brought together by war.

"The AI that is given to the inhabitants of the Eternal Sphere is one that allows them to create their own personality. Your three predecessors were nothing like you. Only Ameena shared your kind spirit. And only you survived."

"Why?" she choked out. He was looming over her. She twitched uncomfortably but held her ground. "Why did you make so many?"

He looked down at her. His crystal blue eyes showing no emotion. "Because, you are what I envisioned in the perfect mate. The looks of a beauty all bundled with a touch of innocence." He chuckled at the look she gave him. "Oh, no my dear. Do not misunderstand. I would never create you for me. You see, you are nothing more than a figment of my imagination. I only wished to perfect a project. You are still defective. You only live because of what _they_ did to you."

Sophia was about to respond when she noticed the sky over him change. The once clear day was rapidly turning to night. Noticing her change in focus, Luther looked up himself to inspect the sky.

"This session is over. I'll have to check the rest of your database at a later time."

"Database? You mean that this place is…"

"This is where I go to retrieve the desired information I wish to gain from your memory banks. A dream to you is nothing more than a program I created to keep tabs on you."

Sophia wanted to argue that she was not a program. That she was more than he saw her, but the dark would not let her. She closed her eyes in an attempt to regain her composure. When she opened them, she was laying on the floor of the cave. She was back on Elicoor – though she never really left.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Fayt was glad to be out of the Kirlsa Caverns. They had started for the Traum Mountains when they were stopped by a member of the Dragon Brigade. He was sent to deliver a message to Count Woltar, but delivered it first to Albel.

During a routine survey, a group of soldiers reported seeing a man fly over. His destination was Further North than Fayt had thought. They had seen Luther fly toward the Traum Mountains. He must have turned once out of sight.

"Aw man! It'll take forever to search the Mountains of Barr."

Mirage nudged Cliff lightly in the side. "If we stand around all day complaining then it will. I suggest we start so we can finish."

"Agreed," Nel responded stopping just in front of the Klausian pair.

Albel simply grunted and walked passed them.

"Hey Albel! Why don't you lead?" Fayt asked sarcastically as he started after the swordsman.

Maria shook her head, staying close to Fayt.

"What can you do?" Cliff shrugged before setting his own pace at the rear of the group.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

She sat up slowly. Her head ached and throbbed slightly. Each throb sent a gentle pulse she felt behind each eye. She was sore, and possibly bruised, but she knew she was fine. Or at least as fine as she could be while locked in a cave with the very man who tried to destroy her and her whole universe.

She blinked a few times as she scanned the cave. He had perched himself against the far wall and looked at her from half opened eyes.

"That was interesting."

She stared blankly at him. "What was?"

He leaned forward from his sitting spot and rested both elbows on his bent knees. "Why did you stop going to the castle?"

She swallowed, trying to moisten her dry throat. "I… it was time to grow up."

"Oh, I see. So you have given up hope of finding your knight in shinning armor? Have you also given up your dreams of becoming a healer such as your mother?"

"I am a healer. That was my main role when we… well, when we fought you. As for my knight, he'll come when the time is right." She found her voice was stronger than she had feared it would be. Her determination not to let the man before her hinder her perceptions took a deep root in her. She would not let him win. She would prove she was real.

He grunted, rubbing his forehead. "I have no data on you for a three year span. That's three of your years mind you. For me, those _three years_ were spent designing the programs that were meant to clear the virus in the Milky Way."

"Three of my years?"

"Time for the Eternal Sphere is different than that of the real world. The mathematics involved are over you and any attempt to explain it would be futile."

She huffed as she crossed her legs. "We're not stupid, you know."

He lifted his head so to look at her better. On his face was the slight indication of a smile. "That's the one thing I could never leave out of your programming. Your spunk. You are the most reserved of all of them, but that spunk you possess is unique only to your programming."

She leaned forward slightly. "We are all unique. Each of us is our own person, just like your kind. You may have made our world, but you couldn't break our spirit. We tried to prove our will to you but you refused to listen."

He grunted at her. "Prove your will? Ha! How can you do that when I can still access your databank? How am I to accept what you say when I can still probe into programs scattered throughout the Eternal Sphere?"

Sophia noted his tone. He spoke defensively as if his views were already beginning to change. Perhaps it was possible to still reason with him? Maybe there was still a chance that he could be swayed to see things as she did? She knew she had to try. If not only for her sake, for his.

"Meet the people."

He blinked at her statement. "What?"

"I…I challenge you to meet the people here. Learn about some of them. See for yourself that each one is different but that we are essentially the same as you."

"Heh, and who are you to challenge me?" His voice elevated slightly.

"According to you I am nothing. If that is truly the case then you should easily beat my challenge."

He stood up and made his way to the section of the cave where he could access the consol. He entered in a series of commands. She watched him as she stood. He never once turned to monitor her as he continued his work.

After a few minutes he stopped typing and the consol dematerialized. With a smirk he turned to face her. She could only watch in wonder as his clothes were replaced with items to simulate Aquarian dress.

She had to admit that he didn't look bad. His shirt was a common one worn among the men and his simple brown pants added to the effect. He was certainly more inviting when he wasn't dressed as a 4D being.

"Challenge accepted. We will start in the place called Peterny. But let me warn you that you have only three days to change my mind. Should you fail I will start by destroying this planet. You are also to stay by my side at all times. Should you run I will hunt down everyone you know and they will suffer first."

She nodded slowly. What had she gotten herself into? It had seemed like a good idea at first, but now she doubted she would be able to fill the task at hand. Once again survival rested on her shoulders. Only this time, she was alone.

* * *

(A/N) So, it would seem that Sophia's dreams were meant for Luther to keep tabs on her. She's really gotten herself into a bind now. She has three days to help Luther understand things from her point of view. And you got to admit Sophia has some spunk. She showed it more at the beginning of the game and treaded on it toward the end. Let's see if that spunk is enough to persuade Luther. 

And there will be more about Ryoko in chapters to come.


	6. Risk’s Sake

**Disclaimer: **Dragon says…We don't own Star Ocean or its Characters. Blue says…touch your toes, spin, stand up, dance badly…now do you really think we own it?

**Notes:** We know; so much is way overdue. Other stories are not being left incomplete, it's just time being a pain we are dealing with.

Blue: Hyperness! Yes! Another made-up word by your truly.

Dragon: I'll add it to the ever growing dictionary of 'Persuader's Words to Live by'.

Blue: Alright, this is turning out to be a bit longer of a fic than I had thought it would be, but that's okay – I'm packing origami paper!

Dragon: O.o and obviously pixie sticks.

Blue: You know it! SUGAR!

Dragon: Anyway…here's a special thank you to KawaiiJaku for encouragement! And Shizuka Usagi for continued support. Thanks.

Blue: Yeah, thankies bunches:D

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**Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart**

Chapter 6: Risk's Sake

"Aw come on you slow poke!"

Roger watched the twin pigtails bounce a few paces ahead of him. "Let up already. I had two of 'em creeps on me. You beat one. I'm a man…I did most of the fighting."

Peppita turned her head as she stopped. "Oh, yeah. You did take on more than me. Sorry, I'm just in a rush to get there."

Roger exhaled a long breath as he stopped beside his traveling companion. He had to admit that she was cute, even if her hyperness far out measured his own. "We'll be there before nightfall. I still don't like this. I mean, we're supposed to be trying to find Sophia…why are we delivering messages for Airyglyph?"

Peppita hooked her arm in his and pulled him gently. He averted his eyes quickly down in hopes that she wouldn't see the slight blush that crossed his face. He liked it when she hooked arms with him. As childish as it was, he felt like a hero walking through the streets during a return parade being lead by the fair princess.

"Well, the King requested that this letter be passed to the Queen and we weren't getting any leads in Airyglyph. Someone might know something in Aquaria. Besides, the sooner we get to Peterny the better. I'm hungry."

"It's amazing," Roger stated under his breath.

"What's amazing?"

Roger tensed. She wasn't supposed to hear him. Well, he had gone that far…might as well go all the way. Besides, if he had learned anything from Cliff it was how to talk your way out of trouble. "It's amazing that you can eat so much and still be so trim."

She giggled. His choice of words were confirmed as the right ones to choose. He relaxed.

"Well, yeah silly. Us Velbaysians have extremely high metabolisms."

Roger smiled slightly. "Well, we're almost there."

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

She wasn't sure how he did it, but somehow they had been transported to the western gates of Peterny. She felt his grasp on her arm lessen. The sudden absence of his touch only reinforced her reminder that she had a challenge to live up to. A challenge that frightened her more than anything she had ever taken on. She looked up; wondering if she could determine from the sky how long she had been in the cave. Slow clouds drifted by in the eve of twilight.

"Humph. Not to worry simple minded one. Your time starts tomorrow."

She looked up at him and nodded, opting to ignore his _pet_ names for her. "Well, I suppose we should get rooms for the night then."

"Rooms?" He looked down at her briefly before resuming his forward stare. "I think not. I don't trust you. We stay together or the deal is off."

Sophia was about to voice her protest, but clamped her mouth shut fast. She understood exactly how he felt. She had tried to kill him and he was out of his environment. She wanted to think that he was like her and just did not want to be alone in unfamiliar territory; but that thought was shortly lived. The truth was that he didn't trust her. Trust was gained. The only problem was that she didn't trust him either.

"Okay. We can also get something to eat at the inn. It's not much, but the food is good."

"Doesn't matter to me if it's good or not. All I request is that we take it to the room. I do not wish to dine with these…things."

Sophia matched his steps as he ventured into town. An impeding feeling of doom washed over her. If he already refused to eat in public then this challenge was going to be a lot harder than she had first imagined. And her imagination had first led her to total doom.

She followed him and entered the inn behind him. She wasn't surprised when he stepped to the side and motioned for her to handle the transactions at the counter. She requested a single room with two beds and the house special for delivery.

She was slightly relieved that the clerk was new and therefore didn't recognize her. She was torn between hoping to stay undetected and hoping for someone to rescue her. Her only fears of being found were the thoughts of what Luther would do.

She walked softly as she led him through the halls. She felt awkward; as if every step she took was being evaluated. His eyes burned on her back and she was afraid her clumsiness would catch and trip her in his presence. She didn't trust him, but he did demand a certain air of respect. It was forced, but respect none the less.

"Sophia, dear. Is that you?"

The soft hums of a feminine voice quickly snapped her from her inner dialogs. Fears came to life as she stumbled in a futile attempt to stop. In desperation to maintain her balance, she threw her body weight back; only to fall backwards instead of forwards.

To her surprise, relief and dread Luther caught her. He deftly set her on her feet and removed his hands quickly from her shoulders.

"Oh dear," the voice chuckled. "I'm so sorry for startling you."

Sophia darted her eyes up to find Misty Lear standing in the hall.

"Oh, no. I'm sorry. I should have been paying more attention."

Sophia ignored the grunt of agreement that sounded from Luther. Misty did not, drawing her attention to the man behind the girl.

Misty smiled in the motherly fashion that had caused Sophia to instantly like the woman. "My, and who is this striking young man?"

Luther simply stared coldly at her; crossing his arms in from of his chest.

"Oh, this is… um… I mean…"

Misty couldn't contain her amusement and let loose a hardy laugh. "Oh dear. I shouldn't pry. I'm sure he's of good company if he's with you."

If there was ever a time she felt like a complete idiot, now was such a time. Sophia knew her face had turned three shades of red (at least). She also knew by Misty's expression that the woman assumed that Sophia was _with_ Luther as more than just traveling companions. But, there really was no other explanation besides the truth – and the truth was something she could not share.

"Well then, I'll leave you. Oh, and should you see Fayt again tell him I said hello and wish him well."

"I'll do that," Sophia responded as she moved hastily around the woman.

At her speed it was no time before she had found the room. It was larger than she remembered. Each bed sat quaintly with a small table between them. A desk sat in front of the window complete with a small pad of paper, a quill and ink. It wasn't much but the designer of the rooms put small touches in to provide the patrons with a feeling of 'home'. All of this she quickly assumed would be easily dismissed by Luther.

She left the door to Luther as she seated herself on one bed. Soon the food would arrive and after that she hoped for no arguments about sleep. Despite her distrust in him, she was exhausted and more than ready for a good night's sleep in a real bed. But before that she hoped he would have no problems with a trip to the bath. He might be spotless but she was a complete wreck.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Fayt poked at the fire as he stared into the dancing flames. He felt more lost than ever before. Even when he was searching for his dad, he never felt this much dread lurking over him.

He felt the log under him shift as someone sat beside him. He didn't divert his attention from the fire; assuming that Maria had made her way back to camp. When a male voice spoke in her stead, he was only slightly shocked.

He had suspected that Adray would talk to him during the night and offer some 'fatherly' advice. But this time it wasn't the old mage who would attempt to comfort him. This time comfort took a form he had not suspected.

It was common (unspoken) knowledge that since the battle with Luther, Albel had changed. Nothing too shocking, but he acted more human.

"She's tougher than you think."

His simple statement struck Fayt awkwardly. "I know she's tough, but I'm still worried. What if we're too late?" Fayt nearly chocked on his last few words.

"Did she ever tell you about her stay with those Vendeeni?" Albel's tone depicted that he knew something Fayt did not.

"No, she didn't. I never asked. I guess I really didn't want to know if she had been hurt of abused." Shame nested in his gut. "Why do you ask?"

"She told me."

Fayt's head jerked at the swordsman's response. His eyes leapt up to the older man's face. Albel did not return the look, but simply kept his focus on the fire.

"She told you? Why?"

"Humph, because I was the only one who would listen. She impressed me. She didn't fear me like the others do. She simply took it on faith that if you would have me fight with you that I could be trusted. I took her for a fool. In the end, I was the fool."

Fayt's breath became shallow. To anyone else, the conversation would be seen as madness on Albel's part. For reason's he could not fully understand, Fayt was the only one Albel would talk to in such a manner (and Sophia by the way things sounded). Albel had talked to him this way only on rare occasions. At times, the swordsman felt he could talk to him in a more human fashion not deserving by the others. Fayt could only assume it was because he didn't judge someone on past errors. To Fayt everyone deserved a chance and besides, Albel hadn't done anything to him personally that was _that_ bad.

"What did they do to her?"

"That isn't for me to say. I made a promise not to tell. But I will tell you this; she went through her own trials maintaining who she was. She's strong in ways I once thought were weak. Her fears are her strengths."

Fayt turned back to the fire. "What do you mean 'her fears are her strengths'?"

"You may have known her the longest, but I think you know her the least. There are things that girl taught me I'm still learning. Those are things I have to find for myself. You have to figure it out on your own. You can't expect others to hand you everything." The cockiness had returned to his voice. Albel stood before Fayt could press the issue further.

Fayt watched him walk away. "Figure it out on my own?" he whispered. "I'll do that; and I don't expect everything to be handed to me."

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

For a short time, she was able to make the transition from surreal to tranquil. Her bath had not been long, but it was refreshing. He had let her go, demanding that she get done and back quickly; leaving her no time to really enjoy her bath. Still, she was clean and had taken a few moments to wash her garments as well.

She wrapped the robe around her tightly. She didn't want to go back into a room alone with him in nothing but a bath robe, but she had no choice. She would hang her clothes over the heater and they would be dry by morning. It was a small sacrifice for cleanliness and she could grin and bare it for one night.

She entered the room and was surprised to see him already tucked into bed. She knew he wasn't asleep. She crossed the room quietly anyway, hanging her clothes in a record breaking time. The sooner she was under the sheets the better she would feel. She was relieved to see he had left one of the small lamps on for her.

"_Knowing him, he only left it on so he could confirm I came back. But, at least I have some light and I should be thankful for that."_

She slipped into the bed, turning the light off at the last minute. The defining silence that had accompanied them during dinner was present once again in the room. It was eerie and not at all inviting.

She lay on her back, pulling the blanket snuggly under her chin. The room was dark with the only exception being a few stray lines of light that filtered through the curtains and along the ceiling. She occupied herself with the lights until her eye lids were too heavy to keep open.

A small grunt from the other bed caused her eyes to snap back open. She heard him shift in the bed beside hers and froze. By the sounds of it, he was sitting up.

"Who was the woman in the hall?"

Her throat tightened instinctively. She was tired and ready for sleep. A coherent conversation was something she was not in any mood to maintain. She replied anyway, knowing he would give her no peace until she answered him. "That was Misty Lear. She's an alchemist."

He hummed softly. "An alchemist. She regarded you highly." He spoke as if in thought.

Sensing the conversation was far from over; Sophia reluctantly sat up in her own bed. She was both thankful and resentful of the dark. She didn't have to face him, but the absence of seeing his movements left her uneasy. "She's a friend too."

She heard him shift again. She closed her eyes gently, ignoring her imagination as she mentally saw him scoot to the side of his bed closer to hers. "Hmm, a friend? And exactly how much did you pay her for her services?"

"Huh?" Sophia tilted her head toward him. "We paid her what the items were worth."

"I see. And all this time I thought friendship was about what one could give the other…free of charge."

She shook her head. "Friendship isn't something that is free, that's where most people fall to misconceptions. We paid her because we weren't going to take advantage of her. She put her best efforts into her work because she knew we would want to buy. The emotions were given freely, but friendship comes at a price."

There was a short silence between them. "And what, exactly, is the price of friendship?"

"Sacrifice." The answer left her lips so naturally she didn't have time to think about what she had said.

He remained still; aging her on to continue with his silence.

"A true friendship is a sacrifice by both. If one puts all the efforts into it then it is a lost cause. You have to be willing to give the other support, and they give it to you when you need it. There's a…balance which must be met to complete the cycle."

"To a fool, it would seem you speak wisely. But, I'm no fool. I agree that nothing is for free, but to willingly give support to someone undeserving is a futile act. No one can give unless they expect the favor to be returned."

"And there is no guarantee that the favor will be returned," she responded quickly. "You have to trust that your friend is true to you. Nothing can be done without some risk being taken."

He chuckled. "Now that is the first thing you have said I can agree with." He snorted as he rested his head back on his pillow. "Tell me, what is the biggest risk you take?"

"The biggest risk?"

"What? After such a splendid speech don't tell me you have lost the intelligence to formulate words."

She grunted at him. By his tone she was sure that somewhere along a surreal family tree Luther and Albel were related. They both had a way of pushing her buttons to the point she wanted to scream at them.

"Some things are private," she snapped as she wormed her way back under the blankets.

"Tell me." His voice was demanding. "Tell me or I'll call the deal off right now this instant."

Finding the reflections of light on the ceiling, she allowed herself to gasp at his demand. He sounded more like a parent reprimanding a child. _"Why is it so important that he knows what my biggest risk is?"_

She took a breath. She knew she had to answer him; he had left her no room to wiggle out of it. And she didn't feel like giving him just any excuse.

She could have said she risked her friends. That's a valid risk. If she became too selfish then she would be alone.

She could have said she risked her happiness. There is always the looming feeling that one wrong move would end a future with a 'happily ever after'.

She could have told him anything that would have sounded authentic, but they weren't right. Risk they were, but the biggest one out weighed them all.

"My biggest risk…is my fears."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(A/N) Yeah, there's a hint of platonic Alphia. We're playing from the aspect that Albel never really frightened Sophia opposed to the approach that he did. With a lot of ideas passed between us, we guess there's also a hint of the deep friendship you see between Fayt and Albel here too.

Oh, and Dragon was feeling a bit philosophical during the last section of this chapter. So, on that note, we left you something to think about. Having Albel mention Sophia's fears and then having Sophia mention them just hit as appropriate and we hope that it might be the key to opening Luther's eyes…maybe, but you all know how the characters have a way of doing what they want even in a fic.

And yes, there will be more implied Roger/Peppita to come. We find the couple cute.


	7. Family Dispute

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Star Ocean or its Characters.

**Notes:** All our updates d have been long overdue. All we can do is say 'sorry' and do what we can (when we can) to update.

Blue: Most of my excuse is lack of muse intervention.

Dragon: Muse or not, we got something done anyway.

Blue: At least. '

**Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart**

Chapter 7: Family Dispute

Luther rose before the sun had peaked over the eastern hills. As silently as he could muster, he donned his jacket and slipped on his shoes. Stealth aided him as he moved across the hard floor and to the window. Pulling the fabric back he was able to see the room enough to comfort himself.

In the bed, as she should be, Sophia was wrapped tightly beneath the blankets. He mentally grunted at her as he crossed the room again. Using his external knowledge of the Eternal Sphere, he simply stepped through the door – avoiding the risk of making any noise.

He had some business to tend to before the artificial woke. He headed straight down the hall and stopped at the huge window at the end. He wanted to keep the door in his sights as all times to assure _she_ wouldn't try anything.

Before opening the device in his hand, he scanned the hall. At this hour most of the residents would be snug in their beds. The only ones up would be the clerk downstairs and himself.

Quickly he entered the sequence he needed to access his console back in the real world. With any luck the object he was seeking would be close. When he had scanned for it in the cave, he had found it further to the east. With any luck…

His signal became disrupted. Green lines hissed softly at him. He frowned, typing furiously to gain back control of what was his.

"And just what are you doing?"

Luther gave the small screen a hard look. His mouth twisted with loath. "You would be better to stay out of it."

The image on the screen shook her head. "Now you know I can't do that. How did you manage to make it back there? We had every possible way blocked."

"You should know by now just how resourceful your _brother_ truly is," he answered proudly.

"Luther, you can't expect me to just leave you there to do what you want! I knew it was you the moment I caught a glimpse of the contest from the monitors. We intercepted the whole list of winners to find you and one other missing."

"And your point…" he replied impatiently.

"Listen to me. You can't just toy with their world anymore. When they fought for independence they gained something we never programmed. They gained actual _life_!"

He shook his head in protest. "You can't expect me to believe that. You have finally gone crazy just like mom, Blair."

She gasped, searching for a response. "And it's your entire fault! If you want to compare me to mom, then let's compare you to dad. If you harm any of them then you are no better than he was. You'll be a murderer. Like father like son, huh?"

His face grew red and hot. He wanted nothing more than to slam the device with enough force that she would feel it. But he knew better. He knew he had a temper, and he knew the extent of that temper. He also knew when to control his temper…most of the time.

"This conversation is over!" He slammed the device closed and turned with a huff back to the room. In a few hours time he would attempt his search again.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

She didn't breathe as she nearly jumped the whole length of the room and into her bed. Her heart raced against an invisible clock as she struggled with the blanket. She wasn't sure why she had gone to the door when he left – it was a risky move.

What had shocked her more was when she was able to move her hand through the door just as Luther had when he stepped through it. The initial realization held her back for only a few brief seconds before she eased her ear to the door. As if the door had been opened, she could hear him in the hall way.

She held her breath, drawing the blankets to cover everything but the top of her head. Her heart beat ruthlessly. She was sure he would hear it the moment he entered the room.

She listened as he entered and went straight back to his bed. She resisted the urge to shiver as she concentrated on being silent. She hadn't needed proof of who he was; but there was no denying he was the authentic Luther now.

And Blair…she knew he was still alive? What was the whole story? It was obvious from their conversation that she disapproved of him being there. She wished now more than ever that she had been able to contact Blair. There was so much more going on and she knew it.

She struggled to keep her thoughts in line. She had a job to do. She had to show Luther that she and everyone else were worth life.

She had been looking forward to her return trip to Elicoor. Before she left home, she was excited about seeing old friends. She had also felt the hint of an adventure; but had convinced herself that it was only because she was headed back to the place where most of the events that changed her life had taken place.

She got her adventure, but it wasn't what she had thought it would be. It was frightening. How was she supposed to melt such a cold heart in only three days? Why did it have to be her? Perhaps Fayt or Maria would be better suited for this task. She was unsure if she was capable of doing any good for a man like Luther.

She shook the thoughts vigorously from her head. It wasn't like her to give up that easily. She might have been 'the quiet one' but she wasn't one to back down from a challenge easily. That and Luther needed her help. He needed to see that the people in the Eternal Sphere were people and not things. He needed to learn compassion. And if anyone had compassion to spare, it was her.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Cliff groaned for the third time; gaining a death glare from Albel.

"If you wish to complain than I could help with that," Albel said with no hint of emotion.

"Oh, and how so?" Cliff asked him with a cautious eye.

"If I throw you off the edge, then I would be doing all of us a favor." Albel waited until Cliff graced him with an 'I-don't-think-so' look. "You wouldn't suffer so much and we wouldn't have to hear you complain."

Nel hid her smile in her scarf. Cliff's occasional groans were something they all felt, but having to hear them was becoming redundant.

"I'll have you know…"

Cliff was cut off when a shadow appeared in the road ahead of them. Dawn had just set on the land and the trek had so far been monster free.

Each member readied their respective weapons as the shadow whirled around an invisible center. The dark gathered until the image of a person became evident. Tension was high and each weapon posed to aid.

Fayt took a step closer to the shadow. "Who's there?" he demanded

A noise like static issued forth before transmitting in a voice – a familiar voice.

"Please, lower your weapons. I come in peace." There was a small chuckle as the shadow formed into the image of Blair.

"Blair?" Maria said as she approached the woman. "Please tell us you are here because of Luther."

Blair flashed them a sad smile. "So you know he's there already?"

"Yeah, and he's got Sophia."

Blair nodded toward Fayt. "So, it was her. She had found a way to Gemity. We haven't figured out yet how, but I thought that might be her."

Fayt gave her a questioning look.

"Somehow Sophia made it here. Why she came here I don't know but we believe she got caught up in a contest we were having and was confused for a contestant."

Albel growled. "Just get to the point, fool. Do you or do you not know where we can find Luther?"

Fayt threw him a hard glance before turning back to Blair. "I would really like to hear the rest of this story…"

"As would I," Maria said continuing Fayt's train of thought. "But right now we need to find Luther and Sophia."

Blair nodded. "They are currently located in the city Peterny."

"They? So you are saying that Sophia is still alive?" Mirage joined the two blue heads at the front of the group.

"Yes, but I do suggest you hurry. We don't know how he got there, but we are doing what we can to get him out."

"Then keep at it on your end and we'll do what we can on ours," Cliff said with new zeal.

Nel motioned to the group. "We had better start heading there now. It will take us a day to reach the city from here."

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

It had taken her hours to drag him out of the inn. He had been content in giving her a hard time, claiming she was only attempting to make a run for it.

She had countered with the fact that she couldn't prove anything to him unless he saw it for himself. When he had questioned to what 'it' was she had told him he had to see it to know. Truth was that she didn't know herself what she was doing. She had no idea what she could possibly show him that would help.

She had maneuvered through the city and to the northern exit. She supposed that perhaps the gardens at the castle would be a good place to start. She had always loved it there.

He had insisted on stopping at the exit to check something. She stood just far enough from him to give him room. She watched as he typed on his console and grunted. When he was done he had approved of her choice.

Sophia had to wonder what he was up to. He almost seemed to be searching or running from something. She prayed that maybe Blair would do something to stop him. After hearing the conversation he had with her that morning, she knew that Blair would do whatever she could to get him out of there.

Other things also weighed on her mind. There had been a brief mention of their parents. Apparently all was not well in the Lansfeld home. Perhaps – just maybe, Luther's problems steamed from that.

"You don't talk a lot do you?"

He gave her a sideways glance. "There's nothing of interest to talk about."

She issued a soft hum. "Well, maybe we should get to know each other better."

He stopped on the dirt path and cocked his eye at her. "I already know all about you, remember. I made you and I have been keeping tabs."

She frowned. "Why? Why are you keeping tabs on me?"

"That is nothing for you to worry about."

"Nothing for me to worry about?" She stomped her foot; kicking up dust. "It has everything to do with me."

He grunted. "I'm your creator…your god. I needn't explain myself."

"Fine, fine," she said in frustration; waving her hand in front of her face. "At least tell me something about you."

"Why?" He leaned back slightly and crossed his arms.

"Well, if you know me then why can't I know you? All I know is you are the one who both created the Eternal Sphere and tried to destroy it. There has to be more to you than that."

"There is," he replied simply before stalking off.

She quickened her pace to catch up to him. "Well, tell me something. Anything."

His smile became crooked on his face. "My favorite color is green. Now, be quiet."

She watched him for a while before turning her attention back to the path before them. It wasn't much, but it was a start. She smiled, hoping that this was one of many more revelations to come.

Then her smile relaxed. She was aware of how much she truly wanted to know about him. He was an enigma. He was in need and she couldn't stop herself from wanting to help. But could she turn a monster into a human?

Childhood memories danced as she recalled numerous stories she had loved as a child. Beauty had changed the Beast into a prince with her love. The mermaid had given her life to watch over the seas when her prince had turned her down. Both heroines had faced a time limit.

The tale of the Little Mermaid held more weight. The mermaid had traded her life in the water for just once chance with the prince. She had been given three days. Three days for him to fall in love with her. But his heart had been promised to another and the mermaid had paid for it with her death. Still, she loved the prince and became a spirit who watched over lovers that traveled by sea.

Three days – that was her time limit. Like the mermaid, her punishment for failure would be death. Three days to make him see that she was more than an object.

Her thoughts stopped suddenly when a group of Killer Moths swooped in. It had only been a year since she had engaged in battle of any kind, but her reflexes were still quick. Before she could blink, she had her staff in her hands and her feet planted.

She let her breath come short and shallow. Conserving energy, she waited for the enemy to make the first move.

The four moths hovered only second before the first one charged straight at her. She smiled weakly as the beast came in contact. It bounced back, stunned. Now it was her turn to move.

She jumped back and pulled the invisible string on her staff. A ball of energy sailed through the air. The next moth in line went down with one hit. She readied for the next one. Holding still she aimed.

Before she could release, the tip of a spear thrust through the moth's body. It disappeared instantly. Without missing a beat, Luther twisted gracefully and disposed of the third beast.

Sophia didn't move. Right now, thanks to his foot work, her next shot was aimed straight at him. He smirked at her; taunting her with the tip of his spear.

"What now? Are you to fire on me? You did take down one of those things with a single shot. I know, very personally, just how strong you are."

A single tear escaped her. "It wasn't supposed to be me… Not me. I…"

"Oh? But it was you, wasn't it? The final hit. And you enjoyed it."

"No! I didn't!" she yelled.

Her fingers twitched to release the energy that had built up. Her staff felt so solid in her grasp. She inhaled deeply and adjusted her aim accordingly. Releasing the shot, she never took her eyes from his.

Her fire missed him by only a few inches and landed square on the moth who had just recovered from her previous stun. Luther turned to notice the beast that had been planning to attack him from behind.

Sophia replaced her staff and walked pass him. She stopped only a few steps ahead of him and spoke without turning to look at him.

"I do what is only necessary for survival. I will honor my agreement as long as you honor yours. But be warned, as you are cautious of me I an equally weary of you."

She continued to walk toward the castle. She could hear him behind her as he followed suit. She felt sick and liberated. She had stood up for herself. She had looked him in the eye and had not faltered.

She had let him know that this wasn't going to be easy for either of them.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Peppita jabbed her elbow sharply into Roger's side. He quickly gave her a mean glare before looking back at the road.

They had both hidden in the brush when the group of moths had passed by them. Roger was reluctant but after Peppita had insisted they avoid any battles they could, Roger devoted himself to guarding her.

When the group of moths had crossed paths with the two travelers, both of them had been motionless with disbelief. Neither could understand how luck had twisted so that they were the ones to find Sophia.

But then, she had saved him from being attacked. She had been in the perfect position to hit him and leave him to fend off the final moth while wounded.

"I don't get it. Why did she help him?" Peppita whispered.

"Maybe she's gone traitor?"

Peppita lightly slapped Roger on the shoulder. "No, she wouldn't. I can't see Sophia being a traitor."

Roger hummed. "Yeah, you're right. But that doesn't make any of this make any sense."

Peppita nodded. "I think we should follow them. Don't let them see us. Maybe we can get to the bottom of this."

Roger agreed. Deep in the back of his mind he pondered on making contact with the rest of the group but before he could mention it, Peppita was on the move.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

(A/N) Now, Blair's involved. And apparently Luther's after more than just watching Sophia (what he's sure to be) fail.


	8. Consequential Connections

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Star Ocean or its Characters.

**Notes:** You are all in for a deeper look into the possibilities of the ever elusive Connection gene!

Blue: Yeah. A lot of people look at Sophia's gene as the 'weak' one. Fayt can destroy and Maria alters. Connection does seem mild compared to that. But…

Dragon: But we have expanded on what possibilities may rest within the Connection gene. I must send out a special thanks to Randomboulder for ideas (after reading your story it just came to me). You should all read 'To Claim and Reclaim' – that's what sparked the idea to expand Sophia's abilities and it's just a great story.

Blue: I promise to read it when I have a little more time… whenever that will be.

Dragon: Well, we did hint to Sophia being able to do something in the last chapter...with the door (if you remember). We expanded on it here.

**Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart**

Chapter 8: Consequential Connections

Sophia felt an unexplained relief as she entered the gates of Aquaria. The crisp air was slightly tinted with the smell of salt. The ocean wasn't close, but close enough to fill the air with a certain aroma. This had been one place she had felt safe. The castle of Aquaria, as with the castle of Aryglyph, had an effect on her. Perhaps it was her love for fairy tails, or just her love for castles all together, but she felt more at home at either castle than anywhere else on Elicoor.

She walked slowly; allowing her steps to echo on the stone pathway. She had no idea how to help Luther understand. Aquaria was home to the worshipers of Apris. How could a society build on such a religion convince the true maker that these people were worth life?

She turned to face him suddenly. Her mind wrapped around such an obvious question she had failed to see it sooner. "How come it is that everyone here, on all different planets, worships their own deities and not you?"

His face tangled with emotions hard to define. "What fun would it be to enter a make believe world without make believe gods?"

She could feel her anger building. "You may have created this, but we are not make believe. Our feelings, emotions, pain and happiness are all real!"

He shooed her with a lazy hand. "It is far beyond your mental capacity to understand the truth and therefore you can not grasp it."

"And it is far beyond your emotional capacity to accept anything on faith and therefore you will live a lonely and cold life!" she shot back.

Anger flashed in his eyes before dulling. "I still do not comprehend why you continue to strive for things outside your programming."

Sophia balled her fists in an attempt to control the building anger in her gut. "We are human and it is human nature to strive for perfection."

The hands he had crossed over his chest broke their knot. He raised his right hand over his left shoulder; positioning himself to back hand her. "I will not allow you to compare yourself to me. I am human. You are not."

She shook her head; refusing to back down from his threat. "You are wrong, and it's only human to make mistakes."

His hand twitched, but before it could strike a voice interrupted.

"Sophia? Oh, this is wonderful. Lady Nel will be pleased to know you are safe."

Forgetting their squabble almost instantly, Sophia was overridden with guilt as she faced the voice. Approaching at a light jog was Farleen.

Sophia instinctively stepped between Luther and the approaching Aquarian. "Farleen? Is Lady Nel here?"

Farleen stopped a few paces from her and shook her head. "No, but she sent word to us to be on the look out for you. She didn't say why, but we have our orders."

Sophia was confused at the relief she felt. Farleen didn't know what was going on, so Luther was not suspected. Sophia didn't understand why it was so important for her to keep his true identity a secret. It went further than just protecting everyone. They had beaten him once and she was sure they could do it again. So why did she want to protect him?

Then the answer presented itself in a flash of guilty memory.

_During the first round, Sophia had watched from the side lines as Fayt, Maria and Cliff took Luther down. The fight had seemed tamed and almost too easy. That was when Luther had changed._

_The next round was brutal. Near the end, everyone was fighting and Sophia had all but depleted her mental energy and supplies. She had revived everyone multiple times and been revived twice herself._

_Luther's movements had become sluggish, but her friends were in no better condition. Mirage hovered over a badly hurt Cliff. Maria, Adray and Roger all lay unconscious near the edges of the battle field. Peppita slumped as she tried desperately to stand. Nel, Albel and Fayt had all used all their mental energies and were down to their last breath. She wasn't much better for wear. She had been running circles around the edge of the battle field, taking shots with her staff as if it were a bow. Her legs ached and one more blow is all she needed to be finished for. She had no energy to revive and the supplies were all used up._

_Luther charged again for the final attack. Despite their efforts, the blows made by Fayt, Albel and Nel were deflected. With his energy building, they all knew the end was near. If Luther had released his energy, they would have lost. But he never had the chance. She had nailed him square in the chest with her final blow._

_With her energy depleted, she dropped to her knees. Her head ached and her eyes become heavy. She needed sleep, but she couldn't subdue the restlessness in her. She watched with both dread and exhilaration as Luther dropped like as stone._

_Her shot, her final shot, had taken him down. Everyone had to work hard to weaken him, but it was her who fired last. She was the one who had killed him. _

"So! Who's this? Is he the man we should thank for bringing you back safely?" Farleen's question snapped her instantly back to reality.

Sophia stuttered for a response. Her dry throat caused a subtle pain to spread down her neck. "He…This is Luther. He's with me and as you see I am fine," she lied with honest conviction.

Mentally Sophia slapped herself. She should have given Luther and alias, but she was never good and thinking quickly on the spot. _"Besides"_, she argued with herself, _"It probably wouldn't be a good idea to hide his identity. Doing so would only deepen his conviction that we can't be trusted."_

Farleen threw a cautious eye at Luther before bowing. "Greetings, Sir. Luther. Sophia, please feel free to use the quest quarters within the castle for your stay. I will send a message to Lady Nel that you are well."

Sophia wanted to protest, but she knew it would only draw unwanted attention to her and Luther. "Thanks. But first I would like to show my friend here around the town. He's new and I'm sure he would love a tour."

She smiled as she turned to face him. His expression was unreadable and his posture was tense. She only hoped he understood the hints she was passing his way.

"Yes indeed," he responded solemnly.

Sophia smiled and bowed to Farleen before looping her arm with Luther's. She felt him tense more but ignored it as she led him slowly away from the soldier. Once they had traveled half the length of the street, Sophia glanced over her shoulder.

She released his arm. "She's gone. But this isn't good. She's going to tell Nel were we are. I don't know how much time we'll have before everyone shows up here."

Luther merely stared down at her. Amusement danced across his face. "You fear me yet you dodge every opportunity you have to rid yourself of me."

She huffed. "I told you I would see this challenge out to the end. I will not back down on my word."

A coy smile painted his lips. "I am wondering if that is the extent of your motives. I do wonder if you aren't hiding something from me."

"We would also like to know what you are hiding!"

Sophia reeled to meet the eyes of both Peppita and Roger. Both stood tucked in the nearby alley. Roger held his axe up and Peppita danced from one foot to another.

"Yeah!" Peppita echoed Roger's statement. "We've been watching you and it would seem you have swapped sides on us."

Sophia groaned. "No, you don't understand!"

"Then what?" Roger yelled. "Come on! The three of us can take him down here and now."

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that!" Sophia pleaded.

"Why? If it's that way, then we'll have to take both of you down!" Peppita stopped dancing and started her approach.

"I'm…" Sophia struggled to keep her voice even. "I'm sorry."

Holding her hand up, Sophia let in to instincts. She wasn't about to allow either of her young team mates to interfere, but she was bent on not hurting either one. In compliance with her inner will, a wall manifested between both sets of couples.

Sophia blinked. "What happened?"

Luther released a low growl. "Somehow you accessed the programming of the Eternal Sphere. I'm sure it was all thanks to your special gene."

Luther grabbed her arm roughly and stepped closer to the wall. Using his knowledge, a console materialized. After he punched in a sequence of commands, Sophia found herself in the guest room within the castle.

Luther deposited her on the bed. Looming over her, he didn't hide this discontent. "Now, we need to see how you work."

Sudden terror clouded Sophia as he grabbed her head with both hands. She felt her consciousness leave her. She knew he was going to do what he had done with her dreams. Somehow he was going to force his way into her mind and she was helpless to stop him.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Mid-afternoon approached as the party was closing the gap to Arias. The bleakness Fayt had been dealing with subsided slightly when Clair ran to join the party before they could reach the gates.

"Nel! I have word on Sophia!"

Fayt broke his steady strides and jogged to meet Clair half way. "What? What is it?"

"Farleen sent word by carrier bird that Sophia is in Aquaria." Clair shuffled through the belt around her waist and produced a letter. "I was about to send this to you but the guard reported your approach."

Nel took the parchment and read it aloud. "Lady Nel, Sophia is currently safe at the castle. With her is a man she introduced as Luther. He was traveling with her and she was comfortable with his company. They will be staying the night at the castle." Nel stopped reading and looked to meet the faces of her friends. Her eyes grew wide. "Oh Apris! Luther is in the castle."

Fayt emphasized her worry for her queen by voicing his own worry. "We have to get there fast and find out what he's done to Sophia."

"I don't like this," Cliff rung out. "Something is going on we don't know about."

"Most likely, Luther has tampered with Sophia's memories…or something to that effect," Maria stated almost too flatly.

Fayt nodded. He knew Maria by now and knew her flatness was a sign of her own worry. "Whatever is going on, we have to stop Luther."

"We have lums, the fastest in all Aquios for your use." Clair gestured toward Arias. "And I will send word to Farleen to take immediate action."

"That would be unwise, fool. But by all means, send your men in to the slaughter."

Before Clair could respond to Albel, Mirage spoke up. "What he means is that it's best to wait until we arrive. We've handled Luther before, but it took all of us. Sending one to two in would be a suicide mission and would only provoke Luther to react in a manner which would be very unhealthy to your queen."

Clair only managed to nod as she turned to lead the others to the lums.

Hope flickered in Fayt's gut. It was obvious that Luther had done something to Sophia, but he hadn't killed her…yet. He had felt helpless when his father was killed, and that was one thing he was determined not to feel again.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

"What have you done?!"

"I've done nothing wrong, wench! Now either revive her or prove how useless you are."

"_What is going on?" _Sophia thought. Her eyes would not obey her command to open. _"I hear Luther and Blair. They sound so close."_

"I'll do what I can, but not for you. I'll do my best for her," Blair bellowed out sharply.

"Fine, fine. See if I care. If she dies it's just one less problem I have to tend to."

Sophia could hear Blair sigh. By the sound of it, the woman was standing right over her. She felt something cold touch her forehead.

"I'm attempting to access her back-up boot sequence. What ever happened to her has totally wiped out her previous programming."

"Oh, great," Luther moaned. He reminded Sophia of a kid complaining and sounded so much unlike Luther. "If her whole programming is erased, then I'm stuck here. Not to mention things were getting very interesting."

"I saw it on the monitors. Somehow Sophia is able to interact, or _connect_, with the Eternal Sphere's database."

"_Well, that makes sense!"_ Sophia thought sarcastically. _"My gene was designed to connect our world with 4D space. If the programming is 4D technology then it would only be natural for me to interface with it."_

She hadn't thought of it until now. Perhaps everything Luther could do by calling up those consoles, she could do purely through will. Only, she would have to know where the programs were located at in order to access them. The wall she built earlier was only luck. She had been at one such location without realizing it.

Like a kid, she felt suddenly enthused and afraid. She wanted to know what she was capable of, but she feared what she would find. And, since she was the only one besides a 4D being who could do such things, there was no one to teach her. She was on her own…if she ever got back.

It hit her. A feeling of knowing. She wasn't in the Eternal Sphere anymore.

"_But how? How did I get back here?"_

"No! No! No!" Blair shouted. "We're losing her!"

Luther growled but made no other response.

Blair began to mumble incoherently. Sobs filled her voice. "She's gone…I couldn't bring her back."

"_Gone? Who me? But I'm fine…if I could only wake up."_

"So," Luther's unaffectionate voice spoke quietly. "She's dead."

"_I'm not dead!"_ Sophia yelled in her head.

Blair wept some more before being able to say a word. "Yes. She's dead."

"_No I'm not! Please… At least, I'm not brain dead!"_

She heard the quickly rustle of footsteps across the floor as Blair left the room. A sudden chill coursed through her, yet her body didn't respond to show it.

"Well, I must say this is a pity." There was uneasiness in Luther's voice she hadn't heard before. "Believe it or not, I was becoming accustomed to the time I had with you. It definitely was interesting to witness a program stand up to me so directly. Too bad I must now access the program to erase you. It just wouldn't do to have a digital corpse lying about."

She felt his fingertips brush the cold disc Blair had set on her forehead away. His fingers gently massaged the skin just between her eyes. She could feel him trying to enter her mind again. Like the last time, when they were in the castle, she fought against him.

His touch became hot, burning her with and invisible flame. She felt the skin in her face make lines as she concentrated on keeping him out.

"What the… !" Luther exclaimed as he withdrew his hand.

Finally, after failed attempt after failed attempt, she was able to pry her eyes open. Giving in almost instantly with her pleading commands, her body sat up. Her hands shook as she lifted them to her head. The pain behind her eyes was dull and throbbing. More of an annoyance than a pain, really; but she wanted to rid herself of it.

"This can't be. You are dead. Your programming became corrupted beyond repair."

"As you can see, my _programming_," she hissed, "is not corrupted! And I'm not dead or deleted or anything like that. Besides," she lowered her hands and cocked her face up to his, "where did this sudden use of words associated with humans when referring to me come from?"

He had said she was dead. Not deleted or nonfunctional. He had used a word to describe something that was actually alive – or was once alive in this context.

For once he was out of words. Dumfounded, he stalked away from her to the lab equipment which decorated the room. He lifted a hand held device she immediately recognized as a doctor's tool (if 4D was anything like home was when it came to doctors). He pointed it at her and proceeded to scan her. She remained motionless, allowing him to do what he would.

The changing expression on his face only fueled her curiosity.

"What's wrong? Let me guess…another flaw in my programming?"

He ignored the tone in her voice as he retrieved his communicator. Flipping it with a quick _snap_ he pressed one button before speaking into it. "Blair! Come here now!"

Only a few short seconds passed before Blair huffed back into the room. She stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted Sophia stilling on the table. "How?"

Luther grunted. "That's not it. Here!" He slammed the doctor's device at Blair.

Blair took the device without argument and performed the same scan Luther had. Her eyes widened and her lip trembled slightly.

"What?" Sophia asked timidly. "What's wrong with my programming?" She no longer cared to censor her own words. If it meant finding out why both of the occupants in the room with her were uneasy, she would have said anything.

"Your programming," Blair stuttered out. "Your programming is gone. It has totally re-written itself. You would pass for just another person here under any doctors physical."

"Any person? What are you saying?"

"You're human," Luther spoke in such a harsh tone it made Sophia twitch.

"Human? What does that mean? Can I go back home?"

She had always known she was human, but not on the same standards as Blair or Luther. If she was somehow a 4D being now… she couldn't even grasp the concept clearly enough to think about it.

"I don't know," Blair responded. "We'll have to run a few more test."

Tears whelped up in Sophia's eyes. "I just want to go home, please. I don't care anymore if I'm a program or not. I just want to go home."

At that, Luther stomped across the floor. He left the room; slamming the door hard behind him.

"Don't worry Sophia," Blair spoke in a motherly fashion as she pulled Sophia into an embrace. "I'll try my best to get you back home."

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

(A/N) Wow…that was a totally different direction than we originally planed. How Sophia got back to 4D space will be explained better in the next chapter. And, aw, was that regret in Luther's voice when he thought he had to delete her?


	9. Exposing Secrets

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Star Ocean or its Characters.

**Notes:** We have decided to expand this a bit and include other's point of views. Before, we went with Sophia or Fayt. We've decided to mix it up a bit. Respective points of view will be stated at the beginning of each secion.

Blue: I didn't write much here. I mainly read over it so most credit for this installment goes to Dragon. And it's the longest installment...

Dragon: Inspiration hit, what can I say?

Blue: How about "Oh no Blue, I never could have done it without you!"

Dragon: Here, take this chocolate bar and be happy.

Blue: -Is very happy with her chocolate-… Um, what was I saying?

Warning: There are a few references to alcohol in this chapter. We do not endorse or encourage under aged drinking. Speaking from personal experience, it's not all it's made out to be.

And…thank you Shizuka Usagi for pointing out some flaws. The whole whelping versus welling thing in the last chapter is mostly thanks to the way we use the words here in our section of NC… we try to correct that, but it's hard to spot those when it's a term we're use to.

**Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart**

Chapter 9: Exposing Secrets

-Luther's point of view.-

He thought long and hard on the things he had had to do over the past year. After his defeat, he had given into Blair's request and faked his own demise. He was really in no condition to argue at the time. The researchers had barely managed to disconnect him from the Eternal Sphere before it reformatted itself. He had spent two months in physical therapy. Those were two months he would sooner forget.

Blair had done everything she could for him. As a sibling, he could easily recognize her efforts even though he never showed an ounce of gratitude. She followed through with a story so unbelievable (to his ears at least) that the public had soaked it up. Based mostly on the truth, everyone knew of Luther's attempt to destroy the Eternal Sphere. Thanks to Blair's creativeness, he wasn't portrayed as the lunatic he had become.

He could admit these things only to himself. He had lost most of his sanity and he knew it. His temper, passed down from his sorry excuse of a father, had been in control. After what his father had done to his mother, he had promised himself never to be like him. But in the end, he was.

He was ashamed of his actions, but a sense of justification still lingered in his mind. He had been right. He had simply chosen the wrong methods. A simple mistake and one he could still rectify.

But things were different now. Now the girl had the same physiology as he had. A thing as this should not be possible; or, at least not possible without help from the other wench's gene. This girl could only connect, not alter.

This led to even more questions swarming in his already busy head.

It was no secret now that Ryoko Leingod was the 'leak'. It was also simple for her to alter her physiology to be one of _them_. The reversal process was thus far unknown to any Sphere researcher who had studied it. But Ryoko knew. Ah yes! She had created such a way through the one named Maria.

But the girl sitting in the lab was not Maria. She carried the connection trait. Sophia carried the weakest of the three symbols required to accomplish the task of defeating him. Even without her help, Luther was sure the other two still would have found a way into his space. Perhaps it would have slowed them down, but not stopped them.

So why was it that the weakest of the three genes had manifested to such potential? Was there something more to what Ryoko had known and done?

Luther called up the archive of events on his portable screen. Sitting at his desk, he spent almost an hour replaying data (from within the Eternal Sphere) from a year ago before finding something useful. It was small, but definitely a starting point.

The scene from Hyda played the events of what should have been a touching reunion. Fayt and Sophia sprinted up to meet with the Leingods. Luther's hand reflexively balled itself at the sight of his former employee.

"_Just get out of here!" Robert urged the two teenagers almost frantically._

_Fayt showed his age by instantly trying to rebel. "But…"_

"_Get moving now!" his mother urged in an equally frantic tone. "You have to protect her!"_

Protect her… Not _"You both have to survive…_or_ The two of you must live."_ No, Ryoko had told her son to protect the girl.

Luther moved his fingers quickly over the console. He searched several different files before coming across one of particular interest. This file was retrieved from the former lab of Ryoko herself.

_**Connection (Technology Name)**_

_A power given to Sophia for the fight against the 4D beings, that is capable of penetrating the barrier between 4D space and the Eternal Sphere. Since this ability was researched and created in a short period of time after the others were complete, it doesn't always work perfectly._

"Is that true, Ryoko?" Luther asked the screen. "Or is it just what you want everyone to think?"

Luther left the desk and chose the couch he used frequently in his office. Taking with him the clues he had just found, he meditated on this information.

Perhaps the information was correct that Sophia's gene did not always work perfectly. Perhaps the side effects were the result of the gene's quick development. It was very likely that the gene had morphed into something other than its prime directive. It was also possible that the gene was attempting to correct the imperfections.

If that wasn't the case, it would mean that the whole entry Ryoko had planted was a fake. If more research had gone into the gene's development, than the girl may very well possess the strongest of the three genes. She did possess the connection gene and if the gene was true to its name, then the possibilities were endless.

Luther darted up from the worn couch and back to his desk. He needed to try something he was sure would be useless. He paused momentarily. Normally he would refuse to even attempt something with less than a fifty percent success rate. Some where the logic he had always stuck to had become frayed. He was ready to take an honest chance and risk something with maybe a twenty percent success rate.

He didn't hesitate too long before routing a signal straight into the Eternal Sphere's base code. After several paths, his signal found its target and connected.

"Well, it has been quite a while. I can't say it's comforting that you found me out." Ryoko looked sternly at him through the screen.

Luther took a deep breath. He had suspected her to simply hang up on him without a single word.

"Miss Javinis, so nice of you to receive my call," he spoke in a clearly fake business like manner.

"It's Mrs. Leingod, as I'm sure you are aware of."

He thought of correcting her. She was no longer a Mrs. with no husband; but such a tactic would prevent him from the smallest of successes.

"I'm only calling since I feel we have the opportunity to help each other out."

She laughed. "I hardly see any way _you_ can help me."

"Fine, fine," he gestured lazily at the screen. "I was already under the assumption we would have to dissect the Esteed girl to get our answers."

The smug smile she had worn faded. Hard lines of anger formed through out her face. "You honestly think I'll believe such rubbish!"

"No, I don't. But, it would be wise for you to contact your son. I'm sure he's awfully worried about her; as well he should be. I'll contact you again within an hour…maybe longer. I'll give you one final chance to cooperate before taking matters into my own hands."

He hung up on her; allowing her no response.

He got up and left his office in a hurry. If he was right about his ideas, there were a few tests that needed running before he made another phone call. He was nothing like his father and never intended to dissect anyone. But he wasn't against probing, sticking, and anything else that came close to torture if it meant getting some answers.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

-Ryoko's point of view.-

She didn't care if her actions caused her immediate banishment from the Federation. This situation, if true, was far from the Federation's reach anyway. She was partly responsible for this and had to act.

"_Partly? Try entirely. That gene, the connection gene, was my baby. I'm the one that nearly engineered the entire thing on my own."_

She had thought it was finally over when she had ironed things out with Fayt, Maria and Sophia. It hadn't been an easy task. Sophia was instantly forgiving. Fayt was less forgiving, but he had a big heart and used the love he had for his mother to accept things as they were. Maria was hard, but logic finally won her over. Each of them had made amends and Ryoko was sure that was were a new beginning had begun.

Suddenly, things had reverted. Luther calls her up out of nowhere spouting off about Sophia. If he had any idea of exactly what she was capable of, then he would have terminated her on the spot. That is, providing he had actually been honest and was in the position to harm her.

Ryoko didn't even leave a message of her leave from work as she boarded the prototype transporter. As always, the Federation was constantly striving for better technology and this prototype was her best chance at getting to Elicoor quickly. She had declined the invitation of the year reunion; but now she was taking that invitation back.

She commanded the device to scan her DNA and find the closest match – which would obviously be Fayt. Once the match was located, she input the command to be transported to where he was.

In only a few seconds she was transported the same length it would have taken weeks to reach by transport ship. The stone path of Aquaria materialized under her feet. A swift feeling of nausea passed, luckily, without a negative result. Her balance, however, would take longer for her to regain.

She did her best to fall gracefully to the ground. The hurried rush of footprints caught her ear just seconds before her son's shouts.

"Mom!" Fayt quickly knelt beside her and encircled his arm around her shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

Ryoko swallowed hard as she closed her eyes. She was suddenly reminded of her college days when she had been stupid and drank too much. The world around her continued to spin beyond her closed lids.

"I need to see Sophia… Please, tell me she's with you," Ryoko pleaded.

She opened her eyes. The world around her continued to spin, but the velocity of its loops slowed. Pain pounded out behind her eyes – which was a good sign meaning that the side effects of long distance teleportation would subside soon.

Fayt shook his head. "She's… she…" He couldn't make himself say it. Not to his mother. She knew about Luther. She was one of the scientists who planned to rid them of the creator's threats, but she didn't know the whole story.

Or so he thought.

"She is with Luther then," Ryoko stated.

"Excuse me for being so bold, Mrs. Liengod, but how do you know that?"

Ryoko wanted to laugh, but cancelled it under a smile. Maria had always been bold, but also showed her a certain respect since things had been reconciled between them.

Ryoko stood with Fayt's help. "There is something I should have told you all a long time ago. I didn't, and as it is no excuse, I was ashamed by it. I… I was not born in the Eternal Sphere."

She felt Fayt tense under her. Under the proper circumstances, she should have told Fayt first and in privacy. Though it was an act of disrespect to air it now and in public, she prayed he would understand.

"Whoa there," Cliff cut in. "Things just went from bad to freaky."

Ryoko sighed. "I was once an employee of Sphere. I was the leading genomorphist on the team who designed the Eternal Sphere under Luther's directives. Specifically, I was in charge of designing the ways for one from the 4D space to enter the Eternal Sphere. As you know, once a person entered the Eternal Sphere, they could only stay for a limited amount of time. I was researching ways to extend that time when I met Robert."

She paused and was content that everyone had given her their full attention.

"To you all, your universe is billions of years old. To start with, we sped up time in the Eternal Sphere so that evolution could form quickly for us. At intervals we would pause or slow the time line to make adjustments."

"Like to exterminate the dinosaurs of Earth or the feringal on Klaus?" Mirage asked clearly showing her intrigue.

"Precisely like that." Ryoko forced herself to nod slightly. "During one such time we slowed the time down, it was so a core team could enter the sphere and research things from the inside. I was among the team. We all planted fake records of our past here – based largely on what was true so that we wouldn't be detected by the inhabitants here. As I said, that is when I met Robert. I was shocked when I found I could have honest feelings for him. They grew so strong that I found a way to totally rewrite my DNA to match the Eternal Sphere. I gave up my previous life and came here."

"So, if you were from 4D space…" Fayt hummed out his words as he thought through all the new information as he spoke. "Then you knew that Luther would try to destroy it and felt the need to protect your new home?"

"Yes. Please, Fayt, believe me when I say that I never meant to use you. It was the only way we could do what needed to be done. I would have gladly done what I could to protect you."

He shushed her. "We've been over this already, Mom. I understand and I don't hold it against you. I also don't care where you were born… it's just now I can't help but to feel an uncanny and very disturbing relation to 4D space."

"My DNA was entirely altered before you were conceived."

"Now it makes sense!" Cliff exclaimed making half the party jump. "You had the knowledge on Altering and Connecting… That's why all the files we found by your husband commended you on your vast knowledge and contributions to the team."

Fayt cleared his throat. "Mom? Did Dad know?" he whispered.

"Yes. Your father knew about it before I made the transition. If he had denied me, then I would have left the Eternal Sphere and never returned."

"Then you were lucky to have such love," Nel contributed.

"I was, but we still have a problem. Luther contacted me. It would seem he's found out about what I did."

"Do you know where he is now?"

Ryoko examined the lanky swordsman named Albel. It was the first time he had spoken to her though it was the second time they had met. Perhaps the bond between Fayt and his friends was as strong as her son had said – even for the most arrogant of them.

She could clearly define the tension they all shared about Sophia's safety.

"He was in his office back at the Sphere Company."

"But how…"

"Sophia did it!" Peppita announced; identifying her presence among the group for the first time.

Roger was by her side and ready to contribute his own two cents. "She's helping Luther. We saw it more than once."

"Then he has brainwashed her!" Cliff pounded his fist in his hand.

"I don't think that would be possible," Ryoko interrupted. All eyes turned to her in a panic haze. "He's not capable of that. It's in the base code for the sphere that each inhabitant be given free will. Not even he can break that code."

"I see," Maria hummed. "If he could than he would have done so a long time ago."

"I don't like this." Fayt flexed his fist impulsively. "If he hasn't brainwashed her, than why is it we've had reports of her helping him?"

"I wouldn't judge her too quickly," Mirage spoke with the smallest hint of apprehension. "At least not until we've heard her side of the story."

"Luther means to call me back. I don't know how long we have until then, but we should find somewhere to sit and talk. I need to explain to you all exactly what Sophia is capable of."

Perhaps it was the fact that so much new knowledge had been laid out at one time, but everyone simply blinked at her. She had told them something that was on the edge of unbelievable and now revealed she had even more. She couldn't blame them.

He had been quiet for nearly the whole trip but it was now his turn to speak up. Adray cleared his throat loud enough to gather everyone's attention before motioning to the pub they stood in front of. "I don't know about you, but I could use a drink."

"Sounds good to me," Ryoko replied. "But make it a water. Transporting over great distances leaves you never wanting another drink again."

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

-Luther's point of view.-

The lab was as he had left it. Over the past few hours, Blair had been busy working to make sense of Sophia's recent transformation.

Luther was not surprised to see Sophia had changed and cleaned up. She wore a simple grey blouse with matching pants. Her feet still donned her pink shoes, which added a cartoonish effect to the wardrobe.

He decided instantly that he did not like her in grey. The color didn't match her at all. He also noticed, for the first time, that he was still dressed as a citizen of Elicoor. Over a short time the clothes had become comfortable. In his logical mind, he saw no reason to change. No one, aside from the two females in the room, knew he was there. And it was pointless to change into fabrics that would hinder his ability to think. Mental processes were easier to accomplish without the distraction of the unpleasantries of uncomfortable attire.

"I need to speak to her alone," he announced.

Blair gave him her best oh-no-you-don't look. "And do what?"

He hissed at her. "Nothing for you to worry about."

Blair crossed her arms. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

"I'm sure it will be okay," Sophia softly spoke. "Once he's got his mind made up it's hard to change it."

Luther's glare transplanted itself onto Sophia. His mind knew they had only spent a short time together, but it was evident that she had poured a lot of attention into getting to know him. A subtle guilt festered in his gut. In that time he had put almost no effort into getting to know her on a personal level. She had been nothing but data.

"_Had been. She had been data but she isn't anymore. No, she's just as human as I am now."_

Blair nodded toward Sophia. "If you need me don't hesitate to call." She produced a communicator and pressed it into Sophia's hands. "Just press the button. You don't need to even speak into it."

Giving him one last look, showing her mistrust, Blair left the room.

Before even speaking to the girl who was perched in the room's most comfortable chair, Luther moved to examine the data Blair had gathered.

According to Blair's research, Sophia was one hundred percent human. Her whole body had adapted to their world without a trace of the Eternal Sphere left. But it didn't end there. An interesting discovery was made when Blair had placed an OPA in Sophia's hands. The moment she had touched the object, she had reverted back to her original self. After the object was removed, and Sophia had made physical contact with Blair, she was back to being human.

Luther vividly recalled the events that had landed him right back into his office at Sphere.

_He had only begun the process to access her data when he first felt the pull. She was resisting him and he was bent on getting pass all her defenses. It had been a struggle for both of them. In the end, he had passed out._

_When he came to, he was on the floor of his office. She was beside him, as still as a mannequin. He vaguely remembered the panic that had surfaced. He wasn't so much concerned about his sudden appearance in his office as he was the girl's appearance. She was pale and unresponsive when he had first shaken her and later carried her to the lab._

_He cursed the feelings of lose he held for the girl as he contacted Blair. Before Blair had arrived he had noticed an item, small and almost undetected, in the girl's hand. He managed to pry it out just before Blair could know about it._

_It had been the object he sought. It was an OPA that had made its home in the castle. It was small and shaped like a marble. It had once been his. He had taken it with him on a personal trip into the Eternal Sphere and had lost it a long time ago. Most likely it was found and used as an ornament of some kind. Sophia had grabbed it in a futile attempt to fend him off. _

He put his hand in his pocket and stroked the orb. If Sophia had connected with it, then his sudden appearance back at Sphere was explained. It would also mean that the connection gene was more deeply designed than anyone, with the exception of Ryoko, could know.

He felt her eyes on him as he studied the information long enough to read through it twice. Her patience was beyond any he had ever known.

"You do know that your ability to become human or to change to digital so quickly hinders your arguments."

He heard the soft moan escape her lips. "I know what it looks like to you. Why can't you move pass the logistics of it and see that we are the same on the inside?"

He snapped his eyes to meet hers. "Oh? And you are now the leading expert on that I assume." His tone was harsher than he had intended.

She wrinkled her nose. "Why yes I am! I feel the same. I think the same. I have all the same emotions and beliefs I did when I wasn't like you. It's the same as meeting another race from another planet. We may be different but we are still human." Her words were spoken sharply but without a trace of harshness.

He opened his mouth to respond, but it was in vain. She cut him off before he could utter a single syllable.

"Define human… One: of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or having the nature of people. Two: consisting of people. Three: of or pertaining to the social aspect of people. Four: sympathetic; humane." For each number she said, she held up a finger.

"My minor for my first year of college was Terran. And yes, I started college shortly after that whole ordeal…"

She paused to take a breath. He was sure she was redirecting her speech to leave out any personal information so to get her point across. That was one thing he had noticed about her. She was passionate about her beliefs, but tactical enough to try and sway him with facts instead of personal convictions…for the most part.

"Going by definition, I can asses that you are in fact _not_ human. I have yet to see a single shred of sympathy or anything remotely humane about you."

His temper garbed hold of him so quickly he didn't have time to think about his words before they leapt from his mouth. "If I'm so inhumane, then why the hell did I worry about you enough to inform Blair I was here? She was the only one I could trust to bring you back."

Shock plastered itself across her face. Her green eyes couldn't hide her surprise.

He clamped his mouth hard. He let the growl in his throat continue until he felt soar. He had just admitted to the very thing he was trying to forget himself. He had just shown his own weakness. The weakness that he was, in fact, human and held emotions.

He turned his back to her. He didn't want to look at her. At that point he didn't ever want to see her again. The girl was getting to him and if he had any sense about him he could convince himself it was nothing more than another side effect of that gene she carried. He was, himself, of 4D space and if her gene worked to connect the two planes than it may work on him.

"_I'm being poisoned by her. Her gene is poisoning me…that's it! That is why I'm not myself. It's all her fault."_

He heard her stand behind him. Trying desperately to shield himself from his own awareness, he crossed his arms. He had to know more about how her gene worked before he suffered even more repercussions from it.

The first thought in his mind was disbelief when he felt her arms snake around his exposed waist. There was a surprisingly welcomed warmth that emanated on his back as she leaned her head against him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I shouldn't have been so mean."

With a forceful twist, he flung her off of him. She hit the floor hard; landing on her side.

"Don't touch me! You are contagious and I will not allow you to pollute me any further!" He felt his anger rise until he was sure his whole complexion was bright red.

He stepped away from her and watched as she struggled to regain her composure. He was sure any prolonged exposure to her would be worse than fatal. He wouldn't risk his own life any longer. Had he known she would be such a contamination, he would have disposed of her sooner.

_"But not just yet. I'll let her live a while longer… I'll find a way to get her back into the Eternal Sphere and dispose of her there. If I were to kill her as she is now then I would be no better than he was."_

Luther pushed all recollection of his father further from his mind as he left the lab; locking it behind him. As he suspected, Blair was in the hallway waiting for him.

"If you hurt her…"

"I'll do as I please," he yelled back at her. "You are not to go near her. She is unstable and could very well kill you without intent."

Blair propped her hands on her hips. "I know you, _brother_. I know what you are thinking and you are wrong. Her gene has no effect on living organisms. She can only affect inanimate objects. The only way she comes close to affecting anything other than that is by altering her own physiology."

"Altering? Surely you jest, _sister_. She can't alter. That ability belongs to the other wench."

"Maria," Blair corrected him. "And no, she can't alter as Maria can, but she did connect with Maria's altering gene when she first came here."

He raised his eyebrow. "So, you are saying she can alter too?"

Blair sighed. He was sure she regretted opening her mouth already; but he knew she would continue. This was just one way they showed any sibling rivalry. It was their battle to show who was the more intelligent.

"She was exposed to Maria's gene only when she was altered herself. So that 'learned skill' only works on her. It's an ability outside the scope of her own abilities and she can only mimic it in the way it was first introduced to her. She can alter herself, but no one else."

"I see," Luther hummed thoughtfully. "So, you are sure she can not _connect_ with any organic tissue?"

The look on Blair's face informed him that she saw right through his fishing for information. She was his sister and did know him better than anyone.

"No, she can't. So, anything… any changes you are experiencing now are of your own free will."

He gasped at her. "I have NOT changed!"

She frowned. "Not a lot, but you are different. Perhaps I should just send you both back now and hope what ever that girl is doing to you continues. You may just come out better than you went in."

She didn't give him any time to argue before she entered the lab; leaving him alone in the hallway.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

(A/N) Alright…the first chapter with absolutely no view point from Sophia. It was a lot of fun to try and pry into Luther's head. We think it would only be natural for someone like him to want something to blame for any _changes_ he's going through. Perhaps she's gotten to him more than he thought…

Oh, and on a side note (from Dragon)… please forgive the infrequencies of updates. Lately it seems that when I sit down to write (when time allows) I've been working on an original story – meaning one that won't be here on fanfiction since it's not based on any existing work. On the bright side, writing on that and on my fics has a way of helping out both since ideas I get for my fics give me ideas on what to do for my story and visa versa. I'm still trying to finish Burnt Flowers, Star Ocean: The Untold Story, and Racing the Storm. Most likely Burnt Flowers will be next for updates, though I can't promise when.


	10. TurnABout

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Star Ocean or its Characters.

**Notes:** Next installment is up – and it means nothing but trouble for Luther.

Blue: I'm recycling ideas! I have stolen my own ideas from 'Inside My Heart'

Dragon: Hey, it works and will make things a bit more interesting.

Blue: Yeah, but poor Luther…

Dragon: Oh well, he receives what he reaps.

**Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart**

Chapter 10: Turn-A-Bout

Ryoko took long sips of her water, letting the cool liquid glide down her throat. The effects of long distant transporting were becoming a distant memory as another side effect grabbed hold – dehydration. She took small comfort that Fayt and his friends hadn't pressed her to immediately expand on her secrets.

Once she was ready, she looked up to address the whole table. "When I had settled into the Eternal Sphere I became fully aware of Robert's research. I knew that if Luther were to find out he would be furious. But I also knew I couldn't stop it. Robert and his crew weren't the only ones researching Symbological Genetics. Other planets both in and outside the Federation also pursued the same path. Luther's wrath was inevitable."

"I knew of the Time Gate, but not of its function so I alerted Robert to it. But even before we ventured to Styx, I knew someone would have to go to 4D space and stop Luther head on. I came from there, but after I modified my DNA to that of the Eternal Sphere, the affect couldn't be reversed. I couldn't, nor did I want, to go back."

"Robert's first instinct after the Time Gate's announcement was to find a way to _destroy_ our new enemy. He set immediately to research a gene for just that. Clive Esteed, Sophia's father, put his efforts into the Alteration gene. These two were only two steps to beating Luther. A connection still had to be made so I started on the third gene myself. Any records found about my research wouldn't admit to it, but I started on Sophia's gene before we even investigated the Time Gate. I did it at first to try and find a way back to 4D space myself. I would take the burden of facing Luther alone…"

Ryoko paused and drained the final few drops from her cup. The water was mostly sweet. The bitterness she tasted was not from the beverage but from the confession at hand.

"When the genes were complete, we started our search for valid candidates. I had just given birth to Fayt as Robert hounded away at medical records. His query covered over a thousand different races after we found that none of us were compatible. We were on the edge of giving up when Kyoko Esteed made a wild, yet logical, suggestion. She suggested we try testing a younger population for candidates."

Drawing her lips into her mouth, Ryoko chewed lightly. Eyes downcast. Her sight dwelled on the empty cup between her hands. She had patched things up well enough with the three Earth kids, but the explanation she was providing was far more in depth than she had given before.

"Kyoko brought to light that the genes we had created needed to evolve with their host. A grown man or woman wouldn't do and the gene would kill them in an attempt to expand. We were forced to accept the fact we would have to do ungodly things to children." She began to shake slightly.

Fayt rested his hand on her shoulder. "Mom? Don't worry about that. We really do understand."

She touched her son's hand gently; finding the strength to continue. "About that time Jessie Traydor had been granted custody of her second cousin's new born child." She paused to include Maria in her glance. "I never told you, Maria, but both your real parents were lost in an accident shortly after your birth. Jessie not only was your only living relative capable of raising a child, but she was also unable to have children herself. Both her and Richard were thrilled to adopt you and instantly considered you as their blood born child."

Maria spared her a small, but very genuine, smile.

On the contrary, Albel huffed. It was clear the swordsman was growing tired of the history lesson and wished to jump straight to the point.

Ryoko took note of Albel's silent request, but there was still one last thing for her to get off her chest.

"The destruction and alteration genes were precise. Meaning, they would only be compatible if other factors of the host were met. I agreed with Robert that as unfair as it was, we had no right to make these modifications to the children of strangers. After a few test it was determined that Fayt was compatible with the destruction gene and Maria with the alteration gene. This left my gene, the connection gene, with no home."

"It wasn't until Clive and Kyoko found they were pregnant that we knew who would wield the final gene. Unlike the other two, my gene didn't depend on any factors of the host – it could adapt to anyone as long as it was a child. As Sophia neared her birth, I modified the gene unannounced to anyone but Robert, Clive and Kyoko. Her gene held no protection. It was passive unless provoked but provided no way to fight until I did what I could to it."

All motion had stopped. Ryoko had revealed a lot of information but the heart of the discussion was finally starting to pump.

"What did you do to it, Mrs. Leingod?" Mirage asked politely; breaking the silence.

Ryoko leaned back in her chair. "I added two elements to it; defensive and then offensive capabilities. I'll try to explain as plainly as possible."

Everyone seemed to nod in unison.

Ryoko licked her lips and continued. "Her defensive skills are to connect on some level with those around her. Am I correct to assume that if she were in a good mood then those around her also found themselves feeling a little better?"

Fayt immediately nodded. He had known her all her life, but it was true. Even as a child, Sophia had a way of projecting her emotions on others. Just knowing her was not what alerted him on many occasions to her mood. He had just known how she felt with no doubt.

Still, she was so good at hiding her emotions behind a false façade that he had no choice but to doubt it. When she was sad he knew it but she never showed it and often he would put it off to his imagination.

And there was the fact that she could provoke him to feel guilt ten times faster than anyone ever had.

The reaction of the group was enough to confirm Ryoko's question. "She can't make anyone feel anything. She has the potential to be an empathic, but thus far the gene has not grown into that ability."

"Soooo," Cliff said letting the word ooze from his mouth. "You are saying if she wanted to she _could_ make others feel however she wanted them too?"

"Well, she could but only if she practiced that skill and the effects would only last a short time. Right now, she doesn't even know she can. She won't use it because I put a safeguard on it. It would only activate if she were consciously aware of it."

Maria nodded. "At the time you…gave us these abilities there was no way to predict how we would use them or what kind of people we would grow to be."

Ryoko smiled sadly at her. "Precisely."

"What of her offensive abilities?" Adray asked tactfully.

Ryoko gave the ripened soldier a smile mixed with both pride and hesitation.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Luther watched the screen with greedy anticipation. The small 'marble' was indeed useful. Since he had first lost it, it had traveled over Elicoor to many places; absorbing energies from everything it had made contact with. The marble served two purposes: to record history and to create a virtual connection to the areas it had visited over the course of its travels.

He had been in no mood for a history lesson. He needed information. Accessing the marble's second function was far more entertaining. Thanks to that, all he had to do was hook it straight to his terminal and he could spy on any place within a hundred yards of where the marble had been.

Eagerly he watched Ryoko and awaited the rest of her lecture.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

"When a 4D being comes to the Eternal Sphere, with the appropriate authority, they are able to access terminals located throughout. These terminals can connect to any program active to that region. Though the terminals it is possible to see historic records and make adjustments to the environment."

Peppita straightened in her chair. "Like making a wall appear out of nowhere in an alley?"

"Yes, I suppose that could be done; but only if the wall matched the terrain."

Nel quickly picked out what Ryoko was saying. "So, this wall would be on the level of its surroundings. A stone wall, for example, for a place made of stone instead of a wall of metal that wouldn't fit."

Ryoko smiled. "Precisely. Each area has rules to abide by. When a 4D being enters the Eternal Sphere, they know where to find these terminals and how to access them. They must first open the file and then physically input the information they desire. Sophia, on the other hand, is capable of accessing these terminals through simple will. She can alter the programming of the Eternal Sphere without opening any files. The results are instant."

Fayt swallowed hard. "Are you saying she has the same abilities as Luther…?"

"Only when it comes to his role as the creator."

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Luther slammed his fist on the table; causing the console to jump and the connection to terminate. He would not accept that a worthless program was his equivalent. It was not to be tolerated!

He stood swiftly as the door to his office opened. What proceeded happened too quickly for him to realize what was going on until it was too late.

A group of three men entered his office. Each was twice his size and twice as fast. Before he knew what was going on, he was restrained. A man each secured his arms. The third watched him with stone eyes; waiting for him to attempt escape.

"What is the meaning of this?! I demand answers!"

"And so you shall have them," Blair spoke coldly from the doorway.

He growled at her, baring his teeth in discontent. "You bitc…"

"Now, Luther…flattery will get you nowhere." She entered the room sweeping forward in full authority. One man extended his hand, much to his unwillingness. Drawing her hands from behind her, Blair snapped a plan metal strap around his exposed wrist.

"I am to assume you know what this is?"

Luther tore his eyes from his new accessory. "You can't be serious! You would do this to your own brother?" His tone was harsh but on the edge of pleading.

Blair shook her head solemnly. "I will make with you an agreement; such as the one you made with Sophia."

He blinked at her. "What did she tell you," he hissed.

"She told me you were to give her three days to convince you that the Eternal Sphere wasn't a mere toy to play with. She wanted to prove to you that life is life regardless of its origins. Now, you must honor that agreement. There are still two days left and you will abide by your promise. In turn, I will set my own offer on the table. After those two days, if you have shown that you can open your mind, I will remove the band."

He hissed again. "I do not agree!"

"But you have no choice. I will send you both back tomorrow and you, dear brother, will not have your authorization to back you up. You will be just like any other resident of the Eternal Sphere."

He wiggled futilely in the grasp of the large men. "You can't banish me! This is a punishment for criminals. I have committed no wrong."

Blair stepped back, allowing room for the men to guide Luther from the office. "I, Blair – head of Sphere –, do formally charge you of crimes against humanity. You are to live out your punishment as a resident in the Eternal Sphere. Your rank is stripped and your powers are revoked. You will live among them as one of them until I deem you fit to return."

His feet dragged as his muscles tightened. Forcefully he was led to his room and locked in for the night. Tomorrow he was to be banished to the Eternal Sphere. Only this time, he wouldn't be able to alter the program in the slightest.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

He didn't remember falling asleep. Luther twisted a bit, drawing comfort from the soft bed under him. He wondered if he had only dreamed the betrayal his sister had inflicted on him. Much to his dismay, his eyes opened to the sad truth.

He was back at the inn in Peterny. Sitting at a small table, looking contently out the window, was Sophia. She was humming softly between sipping from a hot mug. Dragging his attention away from her, he raised his hand. The metal ring was more than pleased to gleam back at him. He growled softly under his breath.

"Oh, good morning!"

He glared daggers at her as he sat up. Pushing his hair down he kept his lips pressed tightly together.

"I have some cider for you," Sophia spoke softly. "It always seems to help me wake up better."

When he didn't respond, she traded her mug for his and approached his bed. She moved cautiously, avoiding staring into his eyes. They were just as cold as they had been when he first followed her back to the Eternal Sphere.

He took the mug and held it with both hands. "You're gloating."

She had nearly retreated back to the table but stopped and faced him. "Gloating? What would I do that for?"

Oh, she sounded so innocent. He knew better than to trust someone who could fringe ignorance. Especially her. He knew enough about her now to know she wasn't as dense as he had first taken her for.

"Don't take me for a fool! I know you enjoy seeing me suffer. Knowing I have been brought down to your level."

Her face twisted in anger. "Brought down?! Look Luther, you might not know me like my friends, but I have given you more than your fair chance. I've done everything I could to let you in and you haven't done anything but turn me down. I don't gloat! That is something you would know if you cared to."

He laughed. "Cared to? And why would I care to know a program? You are nothing but a string of ones and zeros. I have no time to waste on trivial things like that."

She crossed over to the table and lifted her mug. Stepping back to the door, she rested her hand on the knob. "You have no choice but to _waste your time_. I'll help you if you decide to give my world an honest chance. If not, then come two days and you'll be stuck. Take my help or not, it's up to you."

With that she left the room, closing the door harshly behind her. He looked long and hard at the door before draining the mug. The cider was good, to his surprise. He had eaten in the Eternal Sphere before, but never had it tasted so fresh.

It wasn't more than as added disadvantage to the band worn around his wrist. He would have to find a way to remove it. With it on, he couldn't use any terminals. He couldn't alter anything in the Eternal Sphere. He was just the same as the rest of the incompetent inhabitants.

He disregarded the mug on the bed as he stood. He was still wearing the Elicorrian garb. Glancing about he noticed a spear resting against the wall. Traitor or not, his sister had still provided him with a way to defend himself. She had also given him a way to dispose of that nuisance of a brat he was stuck with.

Oh but how the tables had turned on him. He was reduced to the same depth as she had been and she had become aware of an ability that allowed her the power he once had.

He mad no sound as he lifted the spear and set it in the straps along his back. Exiting the room he set to find the wench. She was his only way out and if she proved useless he would use his weapon to dispose of her.

It was simple, and yet a nagging thought probed at his mind. He didn't want to dispose of her. For reasons he couldn't fathom, she made his existence in the Eternal Sphere more tolerable. Adjusting his thoughts he could only determine it was her forsaken gene and not her.

Perhaps he simply had to analyze her gene. Then surely he would be able to escape. If it meant killing her then so be it. But first he would try to find out what he could about her. He needed to know how her mind worked. Taking down an opponent was far easier that way. And he might not have to kill her. If he could convince her he had changed then he could use her.

Even better! After all the torment she had caused him it was only fair he use her at his convenience.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Note from Blue: Anyone who's read 'Inside My Heart' will recognize Luther's new wrist band! It prevents him from using any of his 4D abilities (but he can still use symbology so it's not exactly like my original idea). We thought it would be fun to knock him down a few notches.


	11. Changing Hearts

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Star Ocean or its Characters.

**Notes:** More angst with a hint of fluff.

Blue: We rushed through this so pardon any mistakes.

Dragon: Feel free to point any out. Each section is written in Luther or Sophia's point of view - besides the first section that is.

Blue: Things are progressing. I think Luther's finally coming around.

Dragon: Yeah, he's one tough cookie.

Blue: Hehehe…tough cookie. I get some of the fun-est phrases from Dragon!

**Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart**

Chapter 11: Changing Hearts

Everyone at the table had succumbed to the hard silence. Each turning over the words Ryoko had said. Everyone re-evaluated the way they saw Sophia.

Fayt was the first one to shake the shattered thoughts from his head. "Sophia is Sophia. We can't forget that."

"Yes," Maria agreed. "She is still like a sister to you and a friend to us. This doesn't change that."

"That is exactly what I wanted to hear."

All eyes darted up from the table and confronted Blair. She waved cautiously at them, using body language to inform them that she had news they needed to hear.

"Blair?" Ryoko stood from her seat. "It's good to see you again. Care to have a seat?"

Blair giggled softly. "I'm not really here. I've only projected myself here to ask that you all help me."

Cliff pounded one fist into the table as he stood. "Just tell us where Luther is and we'll nab him for ya!"

Blair shook her head. "It would seem things have changed. What I'm going to ask will sound strange but I hope you will understand when you hear me out."

All ears were opened. Blair couldn't help but to hope that they would understand. "I need you to promise not to attack Luther."

Everyone seemed to be struck speechless – all but Fayt who leaned forward in his chair. "I know enough to trust you, Blair. First tell us what's going on and after that we'll be able to promise. Until then, our main concern is for Sophia."

"As well it should be, Fayt. I'll tell you what I can. The rest is up to you."

Blair waited until Ryoko and Cliff were seated before continuing. "One year ago you all fought Luther and won; only you didn't kill him as was assumed. When that battle was over the whole Eternal Sphere was re-written into a code that we couldn't breach at first. We had set to cracking that code simply to preserve the Eternal Sphere. We feared others would attempt to decode it and we wanted to monitor the activities to keep it safe. I hope you all understand that."

Various nods and grunts agreed with her, though some where more reluctant than others. She couldn't blame them. They had won their freedom but essentially were still programs. Only now they were programs with free will and a soul of their own.

"Luther made it out of the Eternal Sphere before it reformatted but he retained serious injuries. Still, he is my brother and the only family I have so I had him treated. All the events from a year ago hit the press and I made sure to cover Luther with a story of his death. He wasn't too pleased, but considering he faced criminal charges he didn't rebuke it. He stayed hidden and after six months left. I hadn't heard from him until the contest.

"You all have quite a following in my world and for your year anniversary we held a celebration in Gemity. There was a contest for the best look-a-likes and unannounced to us Luther joined. It would seem that it was at that time Sophia found her way to Gemity and got caught up in the festivities. The prize was a short stay in the Eternal Sphere, completely monitored, and we know that Luther was determined to find his way back here. But before I could stop him, he managed to get back here by forcing Sophia to bring him."

"That would be when we confronted him in the Aire Hills?"

Blair nodded to Nel. She shook her head, forcing herself to continue with a story that would install doubt within them all. "Then, Sophia somehow connected with my world and transported both her and Luther back. We made a startling, and maybe disturbing discovery. Her gene had connected with Maria's on a personal level. Her physiology had altered itself completely and she was just the same as any one of us."

"What?!" Ryoko nearly jumped out of her seat. "I didn't design the gene to do that. It was design to connect with 4D space but not directly with anything from this world. Maria and her gene aren't 4D." Ryoko paused, letting her eyes dart across the table and back to Blair. "And Maria's gene was designed only to allow them to survive in 4D space, not alter them complete to comply with it!"

Blair nodded. "I understand that, but it has also come to my attention that these genes 'grew' with the children. A growing gene is unpredictable and the, excuse me for lack of a better word, side-effects are hard to determine before hand. Sophia's gene only connected with Maria's when they entered my world. I believe it did this to give her a better chance at survival."

"You were always the smarter one," Ryoko chuckled. "I can conceive that happening. Please, continue. I am curious now how your brat of a brother fits in and what he's gotten himself into this time."

"Since Sophia was able to _adapt_ to our world, I was able to use our laws to govern the situation. Luther has been banished to the Eternal Sphere. He is restrained and can no longer access any of the programming. He still has his symbological abilities."

"I see," Mirage spoke up. "And can you clarify what these abilities are?"

"He can use Heal, Antidote, Creator's Wrath, and Final Anomaly. Since I know you are familiar with Heal and Antidote, I'll fill you in with a brief description of the other two. Creator's Wrath is a single targeted beam of fire and lightning mix. Final Anomaly has grouped targeting that sends waves of none elemental attacks which form a circle around him. Thanks to his banishment, neither of these attacks is fatale to a person here. We had to leave them in tact, according to law, so he could fend himself against attacks from various beasts."

"Interesting," Adray mumbled. "Now, we are back to the question as to why we shouldn't attack him."

Blair moved closer to the table. "As his punishment, he has been placed into the care of Sophia. If she is able to help him see the errors of his ways then he will be permitted to return to his home. If not, she will be released from having charge of him and he will remain in the Eternal Sphere for the rest of his life. I have spoken to Sophia and she has agreed to help. He may not act like it, but she has already had a positive influence on him. He is stubborn, and he will fight it, but I feel that if anyone has the ability to help him it is her."

Fayt hummed. "I still don't like the idea of her alone with him. He might not be as powerful, but he is still Luther and I don't trust him not to hurt her."

"Only one thing we can do right now," Ryoko said. "We have to trust Sophia."

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

"You're a monster!"

The words had dripped like venom from her lips. He hung his head. If only it had been venom. There were cures for that but none for the poison infesting his heart. Despite all the things he did to convince himself otherwise, she had hurt his feelings.

Luther scanned the street; mentally retracing the steps she had taken upon fleeing from him. Peterny was big, he had been in bigger cities, but he was sure he knew where she was.

She was predictable.

He shook his head, unable to figure out what had prompted _that_ response. It had to be the children. He could think of nothing else.

Almost a day had passed since he was sent back to the Eternal Sphere. They had battled a few times together along the way – going to the fields only to return to Peterny for one reason or the other. He couldn't control the smile a kill left him with. Killing anything inside the Eternal Sphere brought him joy – and an un-approving frown from her.

When she frowned it was…well it set him uneasy. He had thought her smile annoyed him but realized it calmed him instead. He had tried to tell himself it frustrated him to see her happy; but it didn't. Just the opposite; it lightened his mood. He caught himself gathering every giggle she issued and storing them to memory.

She had infected him. He was sure of it. Gene or not, he couldn't control it and wasn't sure he wanted to. The word sanctuary crept into his mind. It was almost sacred. But the anger she had shown him only five minutes ago stung. It bit him and threatened to eat him from the inside out.

He slumped against the wall of a house. The cool surface reminded him of his current exile. The rough texture of unpolished bricks dug harmlessly into his back. He pressed himself harder into the wall. Swaying slightly from one side to the other he felt skin under unbroken cloth burn lightly. There was a pain there as real as any and he cherished it; hoping to lessen the blow of her words.

If he had not threatened to disembowel the group of annoying children who pined over his spear, then she wouldn't have run off. Her words had pierced him deeper than any dagger.

He was confused – profusely. No longer a teenager, he thought himself above these emotions. He was two years pass twenty and all of his puberty years rushed back with a vengeance – yet with the short wisdom from a limited ageing. Lust would not define the elusive wonderments that tormented him.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Finally exhausted, she paused long enough to catch her breath. After battling in the field and then running half the city, she could do nothing but hold her aching side. Her eyes burned as they scanned the area. There, right in front of her was the chapel. It was as good a spot as any to regain her thoughts.

The large door moved easily under her gentle touch. Her hand shook slightly and she couldn't control the building emotions. Sitting as fast as possible, she ducked into the shadows in the back corner to the far right from the door.

Once alone in the dark, her eyes skimmed the interior and finally found rest on her knotted hands. She lifted her hands and pressed them onto her face before letting them drop into her lap. That is when the tears took her and she cried silently.

She knew time was passing and each minute was special. She had a limited time to help Luther but he made it so hard. Threatening those kids was beyond anything. Those same kids had gawked at Albel once but he only ignored them and walked away. Luther had actually threatened them, sending two away in tears and the others after them.

He was just so cold! She doubted if there was any hope for him. As uncharacteristic as it was for her, she wondered if there was any good in him. He lacked compassion, had no tact, and was arrogant beyond belief.

She froze as she heard footsteps, light and muffled, sweep pass her. The owner made no attempt to hide themselves as they sat in the pew in front of her.

"Tears again? I assume things are not well in the world you wish to create."

She forced her head to rise slowly, despite the sudden jerk she suppressed. That voice was Albel's. If he were here then so were the others. And…she had left Luther out there alone!

She started to stand but stopped when he reached over the pew and grabbed her wrist. She bit her bottom lip instinctively and pulled away. She tugged with a weak force to prevent him from tightening his grip and bruising her. Without words she asked to be released.

He didn't comply.

"Off to help your new _friend_?"

"Y-you don't understand."

He raised an eyebrow. Even in the gloom she could read his expression. Only a year ago they spent many nights talking by the light of a campfire. Back then he was on watch and she couldn't sleep. Things were rocky at first, but eventually they got 'comfortable' around each other.

"The maggot's sister explained it all. We promised not to interfere but we're not fools. Trust is gained."

She smiled as his words struck inspiration. Just over a year ago Albel didn't trust any of them; yet today he freely used the word 'we'. He was a part of the team. The changes had been subtle but they were evident.

Perhaps there was hope for Luther after all. She only prayed that she was enough. It was a group effort that helped Albel. Albel hadn't been hard to reach. Every time it seemed Luther was coming around, he slipped back. Albel had slipped too, but not nearly as far or fast as Luther.

"No one will hurt him?" she asked attentively.

He laughed sadistically. Though changed, he was still Albel. "Not unless provoked."

That didn't really make her feel better. Luther was a button pusher. Getting on someone's last nerve was no doubt a hobby to him.

She steadied her voice. "Good. I really should check on him anyway."

He released her wrist. "Always one to run to another's aid. Just be cautious, girl. A snake may shed its scales but it is still a snake."

"I understand." With that she fled the chapel with a hurried walk.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

He had walked to the center plaza; moving his eyes around in search for her. Why did he feel such a strong need to find her? He had planned only to use her to his convenience; yet once they had set out and he was _a part_ of the Eternal Sphere he couldn't get himself comfortable outside her presence.

He tottered on the edge of believing he has scared. Though he had made this world, it was new to him to actually be a part of it. He had to live by a whole new set of rules and in an environment he had spent more time observing and not living in.

"Oh, hey…Luther, right?"

Luther stopped to inspect the new voice rising above a scattered crowd.

A woman he vaguely remembered greeted him with a warm smile. "It's me, Misty Lear. Do you remember me from the inn?"

It came back to him in a rush. "Yes, I remember you," he responded dully. "But I do not recall telling you my name." He crossed his arms. Looking her in the eyes he challenged her to answer him.

"Oh, no you didn't. I just ran into Fayt and he told me."

His whole body tensed. "I see." He turned to walk away, determined to put as much distance between himself and the city. But the way was blocked.

"Yo! Heard you were here."

Luther scowled as he looked up at the tall man. Cliff Fitter. What he _didn't_ need right now. Without a word he sidestepped and continued his walk. Before he could take a full two steps a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

"Hey, why be so rude? Come on. Let's go get a drink."

He shook his shoulder free with a swift jerk. His muscles moved to take another step, but yet another obstacle moved in place. This time it was that old geezer, Adray.

"It's not custom to refuse such an offer. We'll pick up the tab, so why don't you come along?"

Cliff closed in from behind. "Just a few drinks. Just us guys."

Luther grunted. It didn't look like he had much of a choice. He _could_ retaliate and start fighting; but both men were too close for him to draw his spear.

"Cliff? Adray?"

Luther smirked. Here she came. He knew she hadn't gone too far. So predictable.

"Oh, Sophia! What's up?" Cliff smiled a wide toothy grin at her.

"Um…" She stopped from her jog and locked eyes on Luther. "I wanted to make sure everything was okay out here."

He could hear the silent plea in her voice not to harm him. Surprisingly he wasn't angered – but relieved. He knew they would listen to her before hearing him out. Not that he planned on saying anything to them anyway.

"Don't worry so much, Sophia," Fayt said making his appearance. He gently rested his hand on her shoulder.

Luther frowned. Cliff's little shoulder grab was intended to slow him down were Fayt was trying to comfort her. It was ridiculous but he felt a bit jealous at the way she was treated over him.

"We're only barrowing him for a few hours. Guy stuff and all."

Sophia examined his expression. Luther noted it was a habit of hers to study those around her. He concluded she did it unconsciously and it was due to her own faltering self esteem.

Really! The girl should have more confidence in herself. He had seen her deftly take down her fair share of foes in the field. She was a distance fighter and good at it. Not to mention she had a whole hoard of people around her ready to do what they must to ensure her safety. So much more than he ever had.

Not that he needed any of that at all.

"I don't know…"

"Trust me, Sophia," Fayt replied quickly. "No one's going to get hurt and it's only for a few hours. Mom, Maria, Mirage, Nel and Peppita are here. Maybe you girls can get together?"

Sophia gave Luther a quick and worried look. He should have known she would cave in easily. She had her moments but she would always go with the flow – a trait that peeved him to no end.

"I really don't think that's such a good idea." Her voice quivered a little as she reached between Fayt and Cliff to grab Luther's sleeve.

He gave in to her tug, smugly smirking at the men as he passed between them. So she hadn't given in. He felt a hint of pride, though he could not fathom where it came from.

"What is it Sophia? Don't you trust me?"

Now it was Sophia's turn to scowl. Luther restrained himself from snickering. He really didn't want her to point that face at him. Fayt could have it; he'd had enough of her bad mood to last days.

"Whoa, Fayt asked the wrong question. Sca-ree!"

The lines in Sophia's face softened. "No, it's not that I don't trust any of you. It's just I don't want you to make him feel uncomfortable. He's been through enough and though you might mean well I don't think it'll help."

Luther frowned and jerked his arm from her. Been through enough? Make _him_ uncomfortable? How dare she!?

"I'll do fine with no help." His voice was harsh but hardly over a whisper.

He stalked away, leaving her to fend for herself. His keen ears picked up on the rest of the conversation.

"Luther?" Sophia called after him.

"Sophia, it's not your fault if some people are unreachable," Adray said directed more at Luther's back than the girl.

"Just let him go."

"No Fayt. It doesn't work like that."

"Oh, and why's that?"

"I promised Blair I would help him."

"You sure that's all?"

He paused and pretended to survey the street. Under the guise of choosing a direction he waited to hear her response. Was this all for Blair? She had challenged him at first in hopes of saving her friends. He didn't want to hear _that_, but he listened with a silent anxiety.

"Humph!"

Luther jerked his head and came face to face with a pair of crimson eyes. Of all the insects in the insolent group it had to be the one and only Albel. This promised to be interesting and he momentarily forgot his prior commitment to overhear the girl.

"What?" he asked the swordsman.

Albel just glared at him. "Don't provoke me, maggot."

"Provoke you?" he replied swiftly with an air of arrogance. "I should think you wouldn't want to provoke me."

Albel growled. "Hurt her and we'll see who shouldn't provoke who."

"Oh, and what's she to you?!"

He couldn't help it. Something about the two-toned haired man set his nerves on edge. His tongue grew sharp and he positioned himself for a fight of words.

"She's an ally. Despite her nagging, naive, irritating ways she can teach you if you listen. I owe her and I won't hesitate to pay that debt off in full."

Luther glared at him, taking note of his underlining threat. Any actions he would have taken were halted when Sophia joined him at his side. She looped her arm in his and smiled up at Albel.

"Sorry, Albel, we really must find some place to eat. It's getting late." She smiled sincerely at him and Luther had to wonder how she could be so nonchalant through this whole encounter.

He began to wonder if she was dense, stronger than she put on, or if this was a façade she hid under to deal with the stress. Thinking back of how she countered Cliff, Fayt and Adray he concluded she wasn't dense. Perhaps a bit naïve but not stupid.

Either way: she had found a way out of the whole ordeal for him and he wasn't about to complain. That was until…

"If you're hungry then join us."

She offered _him_, Albel, to come along? Luther couldn't suppress the quiet moan in his throat. She had done so well up to that point. Then again, he didn't have to accept.

"I think I will." Albel replied smugly.

Strike that. His appetite was fading fast.

"Hey, we'll come along too!"

He closed his eyes as the rest of the male occupants of this little entourage joined them. He'd be lucky to eat an appetizer!

"Why not make it a party?"

That was it! Now every female of this troupe – including Ryoko – were coming!? He'd be having a water only…if he was lucky.

Sophia sighed and tensed. He hoped she felt guilty.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Note from Dragon: We had to put Luther is a semi-tight spot and get all of 'em together to start bringing this to an end. And there's a touch of plutonic Alphia – but I had to have Albel stick up for her at least once – and I wanted Luther and Albel to bump heads.


End file.
